It feels like the writing is on the wall now, but maybe it was all along. The amount of time it took a seemingly reluctant Vincent Tan and an undecided Erol Bulut to find enough common ground to strike a new deal was alarming, but maybe it was also the beginning of the end.
An understrength and undercooked Cardiff side were humiliated at Rotherham on the final day of last season, as Bulut’s contract entered its final few weeks and it did little for his ongoing job prospects. There was then a deafening silence between 4th May and 3rd June, when new terms were finally announced. It sounded like the indecision was initially at Cardiff’s end, but then passed over to Bulut’s and when you bear in mind that this was an ongoing topic of conversation since pretty much the start of the season, it felt like an eternity.
Cardiff beginning and ending the season with the same guy was a big deal, but knowing that he would be in place for a further two years was pretty radical. Fast forward five games and the situation already feels untenable, but how did we get here so quickly?
Well, the warning signs were probably there all along. Bulut and his staff represented a substantial outlay for the club, at a time when they were burning through managers and plugging a hole with whoever was at hand. His arrival was greeted with a renewed enthusiasm at the club, which was as important as any appointment or signing could ever be.
Embed from Getty ImagesCardiff made a great start to the season, but then it all got a bit stodgy.
Wins were narrow and sometimes fortuitous, while defeats were often heavy and an enduring cause for concern. When times got tough, the odd result or mini run would lift the gloom and elevate Cardiff’s league position. They finished in mid-table and scored more goals than the previous campaign, but they conceded more, despite the off-field stability.
In terms of the general consensus regarding Bulut, it was like a see-saw. Up and down, Bulut in, Bulut out. That’s not uncommon in the social media age, but it somehow felt warranted. Most of the time, I didn’t know what to think, and I still don’t. I haven’t really warmed to him if I’m honest, but he’s been doing a good job, until he’s not.
This season hasn’t been a radical departure, but instead mostly more of the same. Without the cushion of points to fall back on or hide behind, they sit rooted to the foot of table and that is never a good look. Maybe some also got a bit carried away with the summer transfer activity, expected a concerted play-off push and now want someone to take their frustration out on. Either way, five games into a two-year deal, we were all refreshing our phones on Saturday night, with the expectation that the axe might fall.
Embed from Getty ImagesBulut was serving a touchline ban on Saturday, but decided to swerve the post-game press conference and delegate it to his deputy. Under the circumstances and against the backdrop of fan unrest in the away end at the end of the game, it felt like a dereliction of duty and further fanned the flames of his demise. His selection included a raft of changes and it felt like he was throwing everything at the wall, but none of it stuck.
At the time of writing, Bulut remains in charge, but with Leeds up next at home on Saturday, a toxic atmosphere can be expected. It feels akin to the final days of Mick McCarthy, when a deserved new deal preceded a collapse and an eventual reluctance to pull the trigger. Leeds is a spicy game at the tamest of times, but this one could get ugly.
Should Bulut depart, where does that leave Cardiff though? What happens next is never a consideration, seemingly for the club as well as supporters. Bulut appeared to be a long-term target that they returned to, but the available options are not particularly appealing at present.
The problem is that Bulut was brought in with a reputation as a conservative manager, proceeded to manage conservatively and will likely get fired for not changing his spots. He seems to have a distrust of flair players and only criticises Callum Robinson, Ollie Tanner and Rubin Colwill, who are fan favourites because they provide much needed unpredictability.
Embed from Getty ImagesHe gets it in the neck for not playing young players, but no one stops to consider whether they’re actually ready yet and whether it’s the right environment to blood them. Also, it’s the last thing an under pressure manager will want to do and understandably so.
For me, it comes down to this. Cardiff are boring, and that is the worst thing a football team can be.
They’re neither good nor bad, but they don’t defend well and they don’t attack well. Some will swear to you that there are two ways to play football; go for it or don’t go for it, but football is far more sophisticated than that. Its cause and effect, weighing up the pros against the cons. Instead, going for it is a state of mind and its safe to say that its not in Bulut’s nature. He’s cautious and will never be cavalier. If that’s what you’re looking for, this is not your guy and he never was.