Cardiff City are being linked with moves for James Rowberry and Freyr Alexandersson as their new manager following their decision to sack Erol Bulut.
Rowberry is currently working as head of elite coach education for the Football Association of Wales and was last month also appointed as one of Wales national team manager Craig Bellamy’s assistants.
But leading Welsh bookmaker DragonBet have Rowberry – who was at the Cardiff-Leeds match at the weekend – as their 7/1 second favourite to succeed Bulut, following his successful spell as academy coach with the Bluebirds, a role in which he made a positive impression.
Less positive was the 39-year-old’s time that followed as manager of Newport County, where he was sacked in October 2022 after just 12 months in charge.
Just ahead of Rowberry in the running is DragonBet’s 6/1 favourite Alexandersson, the current manager of Belgian club KV Kortrijk, who just happen to be Cardiff City’s sister club as they are also owned by Vincent Tann
Alexandersson is a 41-year-old Icelander, who earned praise last season when he kept Kortrijk in the top flight in Belgium after they were threatened with relegation.
Earlier this year, Alexandersson told Icelandic football website Footbolti that he had already spoken to Cardiff about his ambitions to manage in the UK.
“Vincent Tan and (Cardiff chief executive) Ken Choo look after both clubs,” said Alexandersson.
“It’s no secret when I spoke to Kortrijk I also had a conversation with the management of Cardiff that I’m going to train in England, to be a manager in the Championship or Premier League.
“There are big dreams and I realise that. It would be great if it was Cardiff; I would love to coach Cardiff at some point.”
Cardiff fired manager Bulut after their dismal start to the Championship season showed no signs of getting any better.
Saturday’s 2-0 home defeat to Leeds left the Bluebirds rooted to the foot of the table with just one point from their opening six matches, having scored just one goal and conceded 13.
In a short statement, the club confirmed Bulut “has been relieved of his duties and will leave the club with immediate effect”.
They added: “The board of directors wish to thank Erol for all of his hard work and wish him well for the future.”
Bulut was appointed by the Bluebirds in June 2023 and led them to a 12th-placed finish last season, earning him a two-year contract extension in the summer.
Cardiff confirmed that first-team coach Nikolaos Karydas will also leave the club, with Omer Riza taking charge on an interim basis.
Riza is 8/1 third favourite with DragonBet to get the job on a permanent basis, alongside
Steven Schumacher, currently out of work, having been sacked himself earlier this month by Stoke City.
The 40-year-old left Stoke after less than a year in charge, having taken charge of the Potters for just 34 matches since getting the job last December.
Schumacher joined the club from Plymouth Argyle in December 2023, replacing Alex Neil, and steered the team to Championship safety with a 17th-placed finish last season.
He also led Plymouth to the League One title the season before last.
Other names that figure in the running to step into the hot seat are Irishman Brian Barry-Murphy, former Bluebirds defender Darren Purse, Scotsman Neil, Welshman Nathan Jones and ex-Cardiff manager Steve Morison.
Bulut was appointed by the Bluebirds in June 2023 and led them to a 12th-placed finish last season, earning him a two-year contract extension in the summer.
The end came the morning after the defeat to Leeds and was not unexpected – least of all, it seems, to Bulut himself who appeared to be bracing himself for bad news
“For him it will not be something new I don’t think,” Bulut said of owner Vincent Tan’s record of firing managers. The Malaysian has now burned through 12 in his 14 years as owner.
Bulut added: “Why do I have to worry about that? Because he is the owner.
“Of course, he wants results and that the club is getting in a better position.
“I am sure we will have a meeting. (If) it comes like this (being sacked), I have to accept it. If the club takes this decision, they have to make this decision. I have to take it how it comes.
“What can I change when the board say we are not together any more? But I prepare myself for the training on Monday and I will prepare the team for the next game.
“We cannot say everything is wrong. The results are important and some things have to change. We can change it. When we see the first six games, this team, the way that we played deserves the position that we are.”
Cardiff’s next five Championship fixtures…
Saturday September 28: Hull City (A) – kick off 3pm
Tuesday October 1: Millwall (H) – kick off 7.45pm
Sunday October 6: Bristol City (A) – kick off 3pm
Saturday October 19: Plymouth (H) – kick off 12.30pm
Tuesday October 22: Portsmouth (H) – kick off 7.45pm
