Cardiff City are set to spring a surprise by appointing former Fenerbahce boss Erol Bulut as their new manager
The 48-year-old is largely unknown in the UK, but Cardiff feel it is a hugely ambitious appointment as they look to mirror other Championship and Premier League clubs who have unearthed managerial gems from the continent.
Bulut, of German-Turkish descent, has only been a manager for six years but is understood to be the standout candidate of a number of contenders after the Bluebirds whittled down their hunt to a final shortlist of four.
Also believed to be on that list are former Brighton and Watford boss Oscar Garcia, who once took the Seagulls to the Championship play-offs and has won various trophies abroad, and two Welshmen - Nathan Jones and Cameron Toshack.
Jones was a huge hit with Luton, but found the going tough at bigger clubs Southampton and Stoke. Toshack junior, in his role as Swansea youth coach, helped bring through a number of current Wales stars, Dan James and Joe Rodon among them, while more recently he worked in the Premier League as Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United No.2.
USA manager Gregg Berhalter, also thought to be on Swansea City’s list, and Portuguese boss Vitor Campelos were among others spoken to, but neither man made Cardiff’s final shortlist of four.
The Bluebirds hierarchy have been hugely impressed with Bulut's work and he has been their number one choice for some time. He is said to want to hit the ground running and really make strides in his first role in British football, which will be music to the ear of Cardiff fans.
Significantly, it means former boss Steve Morison will not be returning to the club, despite Cardiff owner Vincent Tan initially understood to be open to that idea.
It also means bookies’ favourite Sol Bamba, Sabri Lamouchi’s No.2, will not become manager, although it is hoped the Cardiff legend stays on as a member of Bulut’s backroom team. Bamba’s input will be important as he knows the Cardiff players and can offer guidance on which areas of the team need strengthening in the summer transfer window. He also speaks Turkish.
Bulut obviously represents something of a gamble, but who doesn’t when it comes to the Cardiff job where the profile and scrutiny is arguably as great as that of any club outside of the Premier League.
At least his spell in charge of football giants Fenerbahce, seen by many as the Manchester United of Turkey and an incredible hotbed of the game where the pressures are intense, will hold him in good stead for the Cardiff challenge.
Cardiff will be hoping Bulut proves to be their Welsh version of someone like Thomas Frank, largely unknown in the UK and having managed Brondby in Denmark before Brentford tapped into his managerial expertise and marched into the Premier League under his guidance.
Mauricio Pochettino, Ralph Hasenhuttl, Marco Silva and David Wagner are others spotted by Cardiff's rivals who really made their mark in the British game. Cardiff feel Bulut can mirror that.
His name is believed to have been put forward by Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman but owner Tan is encouraged by the ambition and enthusiasm the club’s prospective new manager has shown about the task ahead and has thrown open the finances to fully back the call.
Cardiff have chosen this course, rather than look for the same old names with Championship experience, to try to move in a positive new direction, revive the team’s fortunes and re-enthuse the fan base.
Bulut’s lack of British experience doubtless will be held against him by some, but you need gravitas behind you to be tasked with managing Fenerbahce. It is a role which has been held down by two World Cup winning managers, German legend Joachim Low and Brazil’s Carlos Alberto Pareira.
Spain’s Euro 2008 winning manager Luis Aragones also led Fenerbahce immediately after that tournament, while Dutch greats Guus Huddink and Dick Advocaat are among others whose footsteps Bulut has followed into. He was bossing Fenerbahce just two years ago. It is rare for Cardiff to recruit a manager at the peak of his powers who had so recently been with such a large club.
Bulut’s managerial career is still young as he played until he was nearly 40. His first break was with newly promoted Turkish club Yeni Malatyaspor in 2017, taking them to a 10th placed top flight finish in the first season and leading them towards fifth and a Europa League spot in his second year, although he had departed shortly before the end of that campaign after results fell away.
The following season, 2019-20, Bulut took Alanyaspor to their first Turkish Cup Final appearance and again got the team to fifth place in the table and a Europa League position.
Once again Bulut was unable to lead his side into Europe, this time because he had been headhunted by powerhouses Fenerbahce.
Bulut helped Fenerbahce to challenge for the title for the first time in seven years. In the end they finished in third, two points behind Besiktas and Galatasaray. Bulut departed shortly before the end of the campaign after winning 21 and drawing five of his 34 matches in charge. Fenerbahce finished the league campaign strongly without him, but sources say they feel in hindsight they should have stuck with Bulut.
More recently he was manager of Gaziantep. Bulut’s team started well and were top of the table for a spell, but a run of two wins in 16 games, which incorporated six draws and eight defeats, saw him leave his job towards the end of January.
They were still reasonably placed in the league, but tragedy then struck with Gaziantep being in the earthquake area. The club had to withdraw from the league, the Turkish FA awarding 3-0 wins to their opponents in the remaining games which meant they hurtled down the table, but guaranteeing their top flight status for next season.
It seems Bulut left the club amid a major dispute over non-payment of wages which badly affected dressing room morale and Cardiff aren’t perturbed by his lesser record there.
Bulut’s managerial win ratios are as follows: Yeni Malatyaspor 39 per cent; Alanyaspor 52 per cent; Fenerbahce 62 per cent and Gaziantep 32 per cent.
Cardiff have struggled badly since parting company with veteran boss Neil Warnock, but they are hoping this ambitious move pays off and that they finally have a manager who will take them on an upward curve once again.
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