Erol Bulut to consider his future after sending strong message to the board

[pipster]

If he quits - who can blame him. I cant.
Tan / Choo / Mehmet - this is a problem of their own making. To be honest after 45 years of going Im thinking of knocking it on the head, I cant justify spending the money and putting in someone elses pocket.
I'll give it till the end of the season, if Bullut goes I'll do the same

[jon1959]

This feels like a toxic mix of frustration, naivety and gamesmanship from both Bulut and the board.

My view a few months back was that the jury should still be out on Bulut. I think that is still the position.

He seems to be more of a real manager than many of our recent team bosses - but the scorecard is mixed.

He has overperformed up to the beginning of December. Since then it has been the opposite.

Has he impressed with team selection, match tactics or substitutions? Mixed picture.

Has he improved players through his coaching team? Not much evidence of that.

Has he led the club, provided a vision and direction for the team, and created a relationship with the fans? Again a mixed picture. He does appear to over promise and under deliver, but that is part of the ‘honesty’ that excites WOL so much.

Has he brought through u21s? He has said the right things and put some of them on the bench but not gone the next step. Disappointing!

Has he been a success with transfers in/out and team building. Not yet - but probably not his fault.

No reason for knee jerk optimism about a play off push and no real danger of relegation (not yet anyway) and for me that represents progress.

Still work in progress. Some good, some bad. May turn out to be our best manager for 40:years. Could be a Turkey!

[EastbourneBlue]

If he quits - who can blame him. I cant.
Tan / Choo / Mehmet - this is a problem of their own making. To be honest after 45 years of going Im thinking of knocking it on the head, I cant justify spending the money and putting in someone elses pocket.
I'll give it till the end of the season, if Bullut goes I'll do the same

I find it hard to believe that Bulut was promised great riches to bring in players. We have been hard up for a long, long time and that is unlikely to ever change.

I suspect he was told there would be limited funding to bring in some better players - and I still believe that is true. It’s not easy, though, as we are finding.

For me, Bulut can see the direction of travel and is panicking, know full well his time in Britain could be over before it began if things don’t get better. I don’t think that reflects particularly well on him.

[the other bob wilson]

This feels like a toxic mix of frustration, naivety and gamesmanship from both Bulut and the board.

My view a few months back was that the jury should still be out on Bulut. I think that is still the position.

He seems to be more of a real manager than many of our recent team bosses - but the scorecard is mixed.

He has overperformed up to the beginning of December. Since then it has been the opposite.

Has he impressed with team selection, match tactics or substitutions? Mixed picture.

Has he improved players through his coaching team? Not much evidence of that.

Has he led the club, provided a vision and direction for the team, and created a relationship with the fans? Again a mixed picture. He does appear to over promise and under deliver, but that is part of the ‘honesty’ that excites WOL so much.

Has he brought through u21s? He has said the right things and put some of them on the bench but not gone the next step. Disappointing!

Has he been a success with transfers in/out and team building. Not yet - but probably not his fault.

No reason for knee jerk optimism about a play off push and no real danger of relegation (not yet anyway) and for me that represents progress.

Still work in progress. Some good, some bad. May turn out to be our best manager for 40:years. Could be a Turkey!

I'd say that's a fair summing up Jon. Unfortunately, I don't see how this can end well - we all know what Tan is like when he thinks he's been wronged and he's not going to like Bulut being so, um, frank with his words. On the other hand, what Bulut said yesterday hardly came across as the words of someone desperate to stay and it could be that even if Tan makes conciliatory noises, our manager could still go anyway. With Bulut being very much Mehmet Dalman's man, our Chairman's not coming out of this well, I wouldn't be surprised if he feels somewhat let down by Bulut, while being given a reminder of how little real power he wields at City.

For me, Bulut has been a bit naive in expecting early signings. It may be that such things are quite common in Turkish transfer windows, but, traditionally, in this country, they tend to come late in a rush in the January one in particular. That said, the club chose to issue a statement through the Trust (surely no one thinks Keith was making a pitch to become the new Carl )which spoke of signings to come next week - the fact that they did not materialise would give Bulut some justification in feeling frustrated and annoyed I'd say.

[Stanmore Bluebird]

Tan is still focused upon going after money for the Sala loss. He probably isn’t that bothered about Erol Bulut and the manager’s position at the moment.

[North Cardiff Blue]

Frustration bursting over, he's throwing his toys out of the pram because he didn't get the players he wanted, he's missed a few already and he was confident he was getting Moore. Add to that he didn't secure a contract extension and the existing players are not playing as well as they can it's getting too much for him. It's not a great time to throw a paddy, will Tan sanction his signings now he's just challenged him and the board?

They may decide to let him go and go with a new plan, like Jones, may try for Cooper (no chance) or end up with another waste of space.

personally i'd stick and patch things up, he's the best we are likely to get but it's not an easy problem to solve.

Interesting couple of weeks ahead!

[JumpersforGoalposts]

This feels like a toxic mix of frustration, naivety and gamesmanship from both Bulut and the board.

My view a few months back was that the jury should still be out on Bulut. I think that is still the position.

He seems to be more of a real manager than many of our recent team bosses - but the scorecard is mixed.

He has overperformed up to the beginning of December. Since then it has been the opposite.

Has he impressed with team selection, match tactics or substitutions? Mixed picture.

Has he improved players through his coaching team? Not much evidence of that.

Has he led the club, provided a vision and direction for the team, and created a relationship with the fans? Again a mixed picture. He does appear to over promise and under deliver, but that is part of the ‘honesty’ that excites WOL so much.

Has he brought through u21s? He has said the right things and put some of them on the bench but not gone the next step. Disappointing!

Has he been a success with transfers in/out and team building. Not yet - but probably not his fault.

No reason for knee jerk optimism about a play off push and no real danger of relegation (not yet anyway) and for me that represents progress.

Still work in progress. Some good, some bad. May turn out to be our best manager for 40:years. Could be a Turkey!

Can't disagree with any of that, very well put.
Of course, what is also important is that we don't know what goes on between Bulut and his paymasters. Maybe he got what he wanted at the start of the season and claimed he could challenge for the play-offs. Maybe it was agreed there would be a transfer budget and new players for a promotion push in Jan. Only they know and if he's seen as underachieving then we may be "treading water" to the end of the season.

[A Quiet Monkfish]

I've no idea what really goes on behind the scenes, but I'd be willing to guess Tan has had second thoughts about a 'push' for the play offs [which was totally unrealistic anyway], and reckons that with the existing squad and Ramsey on the way back City have another Championship season secured. Perhaps by next August the club may have had some more financial success with the Sala case and the club will be ripe for selling..

..and here is the elephant in the room:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/...claim-28477920

I think Bulut, results, transfers, are a distant second at the moment..

[Tuerto]

This feels like a toxic mix of frustration, naivety and gamesmanship from both Bulut and the board.

My view a few months back was that the jury should still be out on Bulut. I think that is still the position.

He seems to be more of a real manager than many of our recent team bosses - but the scorecard is mixed.

He has overperformed up to the beginning of December. Since then it has been the opposite.

Has he impressed with team selection, match tactics or substitutions? Mixed picture.

Has he improved players through his coaching team? Not much evidence of that.

Has he led the club, provided a vision and direction for the team, and created a relationship with the fans? Again a mixed picture. He does appear to over promise and under deliver, but that is part of the ‘honesty’ that excites WOL so much.

Has he brought through u21s? He has said the right things and put some of them on the bench but not gone the next step. Disappointing!

Has he been a success with transfers in/out and team building. Not yet - but probably not his fault.

No reason for knee jerk optimism about a play off push and no real danger of relegation (not yet anyway) and for me that represents progress.

Still work in progress. Some good, some bad. May turn out to be our best manager for 40:years. Could be a Turkey!

Good post, I go along with your sentiments. When people say that we were over achieving, it doesn't really give much insight into what was happening (initially) under Bulut. He was new, the players were finding their feet, there was an initial boost with a few of the signings. What Bulut implemented was organisation and hard work, shape, graft, a back three not left isolated and a narrow midfield. It was non risk and work, work, work. That took us so far. He did it because it was an essential tactic towards not exposing the frailties and abilities of out players, but, we also need that creative edge to compensate when the work rate and shape break down. We don't have those players, well we have one, but he's injured.

So in my opinion it's a case of a group of limited individuals crashing and the coach, his staff and the players not being able to implement a different style, because they're not good enough. I don't think it's complicated at all, We were just a hard working team, and that's an essential, but if we don't have the quality when that fails, we don't have anything. The style and tactics Bulut started with are gone, over, finished. We've been sussed out.

If anyone out there thinks that we can reinvent ourselves or believe that this group of players are going to improve creatively, add pace and intelligence to their game, then they'll be waiting forever. Maybe bulut and his staff aren't up to the job. I'm certain the players aren't. This lot are awful, it doesn't get better than the level they're at right now.

[goats]

Tan don't trust Bulut with the war chest and no one can blame him.

What war chest? What happened to KM signing? When the hell is Rambo back? I guess we will just about stay up and go again….

[Bobby Dandruff]

I'd say that's a fair summing up Jon. Unfortunately, I don't see how this can end well - we all know what Tan is like when he thinks he's been wronged and he's not going to like Bulut being so, um, frank with his words. On the other hand, what Bulut said yesterday hardly came across as the words of someone desperate to stay and it could be that even if Tan makes conciliatory noises, our manager could still go anyway. With Bulut being very much Mehmet Dalman's man, our Chairman's not coming out of this well, I wouldn't be surprised if he feels somewhat let down by Bulut, while being given a reminder of how little real power he wields at City.

For me, Bulut has been a bit naive in expecting early signings. It may be that such things are quite common in Turkish transfer windows, but, traditionally, in this country, they tend to come late in a rush in the January one in particular. That said, the club chose to issue a statement through the Trust (surely no one thinks Keith was making a pitch to become the new Carl )which spoke of signings to come next week - the fact that they did not materialise would give Bulut some justification in feeling frustrated and annoyed I'd say.

True, although the summer transfer activity felt planned and thought through (unless I was blinded by the signing of Ramsey) with a view to building in January when we could actually spend money.

It felt like there was some sort of plan e.g. the long term pursuit of Moore.

Or has the recent dismal run of performances just derailed all of the above? Which would be very fickle and yet so Cardiff City.

[2b2bdoo]

True, although the summer transfer activity felt planned and thought through (unless I was blinded by the signing of Ramsey) with a view to building in January when we could actually spend money.

It felt like there was some sort of plan e.g. the long term pursuit of Moore.

Or has the recent dismal run of performances just derailed all of the above? Which would be very fickle and yet so Cardiff City.

I tend to agree, I still think the recruitment in the summer was decent and better than I personally hoped for especially not being able to spend any transfer fees/loan fees, probably wiping off a huge chunk of the market. Ultimately we were never going to build a promotion pushing team under an embargo and despite the good effort at recruitment over the summer we are still a pretty poor squad especially losing players like ODowda and Ramsey for most the season so far.

Like you said the dream was to be in touching distance of the play offs come January 1st and then do some really recruitment, sadly that hasn’t materialised.

I keep seeing posts on X and some on here about expecting a top 6 finish etc, I don’t know how anyone would think that (are they?) with this squad. The hope was always to stay in touching distance and then add in January but it hasn’t happened.

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Give him money to sign Moore and a genuine goalscorer

We don't have a forward line of any note, Robinson , etete , etc all need to be moved on

Sign a couple of decent midfielders and forget about Ramsey and odowda coming back to save our arses , I just can't see much happening from them this season and Ramsey will probably quit in the summer

The pressure off rails wintle etc to hold the Fort will allow us to play with a bit of confidence

I don't blame bulut aside a few decisions the prime one signing the arsenal keeper disaster

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I tend to agree, I still think the recruitment in the summer was decent and better than I personally hoped for especially not being able to spend any transfer fees/loan fees, probably wiping off a huge chunk of the market. Ultimately we were never going to build a promotion pushing team under an embargo and despite the good effort at recruitment over the summer we are still a pretty poor squad especially losing players like ODowda and Ramsey for most the season so far.

Like you said the dream was to be in touching distance of the play offs come January 1st and then do some really recruitment, sadly that hasn’t materialised.

I keep seeing posts on X and some on here about expecting a top 6 finish etc, I don’t know how anyone would think that (are they?) with this squad. The hope was always to stay in touching distance and then add in January but it hasn’t happened.

One win out of this current bad form would have put us up to 8th

That's more than touching distance

[bluemoon]

he will have been set the task of working with freebies, loan players that lets face it no one else in a better situation would want, some players would be happier to come here rather than a team in L1...

he will have enthusiasm to start off but in reality that soon wheres off, this is a business but when theres no player business being done its gutting... there will have obviously been 1 or 2 players already gone elsewehere
its a neither here nor there situation in this division where your obviously not competing and battling for progress out of this division...

[PontBlue]

This feels like a toxic mix of frustration, naivety and gamesmanship from both Bulut and the board.

My view a few months back was that the jury should still be out on Bulut. I think that is still the position.

He seems to be more of a real manager than many of our recent team bosses - but the scorecard is mixed.

He has overperformed up to the beginning of December. Since then it has been the opposite.

Has he impressed with team selection, match tactics or substitutions? Mixed picture.

Has he improved players through his coaching team? Not much evidence of that.

Has he led the club, provided a vision and direction for the team, and created a relationship with the fans? Again a mixed picture. He does appear to over promise and under deliver, but that is part of the ‘honesty’ that excites WOL so much.

Has he brought through u21s? He has said the right things and put some of them on the bench but not gone the next step. Disappointing!

Has he been a success with transfers in/out and team building. Not yet - but probably not his fault.

No reason for knee jerk optimism about a play off push and no real danger of relegation (not yet anyway) and for me that represents progress.

Still work in progress. Some good, some bad. May turn out to be our best manager for 40:years. Could be a Turkey!

I'm starting to think our good start to the season was down to Ramsey making everyone around him look better and that gave the players confidence. Then when Ramsey got injured that confidence the other players had sustained us for a while. Then Bulut started favouring Runarson over Alnwick and things took a dive from then on.

I don't think Bulut is the right person to make the current crop of players and team's patterns of play better. Worringly the usual suspects of potential replacements are, in the main, worse.

[Baloo]

A bit disappointing for me. He seems to be distancing himself from the performance of the team for reputation management reasons. At least that’s how it comes across to me, even if he has some valid complaints.

He may well have expected to bring in players, but he’s said himself we can’t compete with other clubs for some of this targets. So we’ll have to be more canny in the transfer market and not unrealistic.

I’m not sure what this type of language is doing to the spirit of a team already low in confidence, but deteriorating performances suggest not much.

[J R Hartley]

Give him money to sign Moore and a genuine goalscorer

We don't have a forward line of any note, Robinson , etete , etc all need to be moved on

Sign a couple of decent midfielders and forget about Ramsey and odowda coming back to save our arses , I just can't see much happening from them this season and Ramsey will probably quit in the summer

The pressure off rails wintle etc to hold the Fort will allow us to play with a bit of confidence

I don't blame bulut aside a few decisions the prime one signing the arsenal keeper disaster

Are you stupid or just plain ignorant? There is no money and weve got your messiah Colin to thank for that.

If Bulut is not up for the challenge of working with what he’s got and improving players then get someone in who’s up for it.

All this pissing and whinging in public isn’t doing himself any favours. Like a btec Conte.

[LA Bluebird]

This feels like a toxic mix of frustration, naivety and gamesmanship from both Bulut and the board.

My view a few months back was that the jury should still be out on Bulut. I think that is still the position.

He seems to be more of a real manager than many of our recent team bosses - but the scorecard is mixed.

He has overperformed up to the beginning of December. Since then it has been the opposite.

Has he impressed with team selection, match tactics or substitutions? Mixed picture.

Has he improved players through his coaching team? Not much evidence of that.

Has he led the club, provided a vision and direction for the team, and created a relationship with the fans? Again a mixed picture. He does appear to over promise and under deliver, but that is part of the ‘honesty’ that excites WOL so much.

Has he brought through u21s? He has said the right things and put some of them on the bench but not gone the next step. Disappointing!

Has he been a success with transfers in/out and team building. Not yet - but probably not his fault.

No reason for knee jerk optimism about a play off push and no real danger of relegation (not yet anyway) and for me that represents progress.

Still work in progress. Some good, some bad. May turn out to be our best manager for 40:years. Could be a Turkey!

Great post, totally agree with this. Then the question is, is it the right time and is he the right manager to hand a bunch of money to sign the kind of players he wants to get in, with the knowledge it could all go pear shaped on either side before the end of the year and we are left in another Solskjaer situation where we end up paying them to go away. I'm not sure it is, but you can understand why Bulut is frustrated as well.

[WJ99mobile]

Tan is still focused upon going after money for the Sala loss. He probably isn’t that bothered about Erol Bulut and the manager’s position at the moment.

Any evidence for this wild statement

[pipster]

Surprised Sludgey hasn’t blamed the situation on thatcher yet!! Or maybe it’s as a direct consequence not enough council housing and obviously brexit

[Eric the Half a Bee]

I'm starting to think our good start to the season was down to Ramsey making everyone around him look better and that gave the players confidence. Then when Ramsey got injured that confidence the other players had sustained us for a while. Then Bulut started favouring Runarson over Alnwick and things took a dive from then on.

I don't think Bulut is the right person to make the current crop of players and team's patterns of play better. Worringly the usual suspects of potential replacements are, in the main, worse.

I literally thought the same thing while we were having lunch.

Some managers inspire and some give confidence. Bulut clearly isn't inspiring or giving his players confidence.

[City123]

...yes..and one has to ask why.....yes the higher profile clubs come calling, but we should recognise he potential and tie them in.

There's not a great deal we can do to stop them going though. Would you turn down Manchester United or Leeds as a teenager? The money alone would be enough for most of us, nevermind the access to better facilities/coaches etc

[North Cardiff Blue]

We finally got a Manager after Harris, McCarthy, Morrison, and Hudson and we've no money left to back him, Tan's biggest mistake is trying to run the club without a Manager, this is where you end up!

It sounds like Bulut has been promised players and we've failed to land one!

[PhyllisStant]

I'm starting to think our good start to the season was down to Ramsey making everyone around him look better and that gave the players confidence. Then when Ramsey got injured that confidence the other players had sustained us for a while. Then Bulut started favouring Runarson over Alnwick and things took a dive from then on.

I don't think Bulut is the right person to make the current crop of players and team's patterns of play better. Worringly the usual suspects of potential replacements are, in the main, worse.

Exactly my thoughts. People often say football is a confidence game and losing Rambo and having a run of bad results has totally drained us,

I think also having a paper thin squad and no being able to rest or rotate anyone when they might have a niggle/ dip in form is a killer too.

We've see what can be done with some options so it is a board issue currently rather than a managerial one I think