Vincent Tan's next Cardiff City decision is his biggest yet as glaring statement omission sparks concern
Vincent Tan's next Cardiff City decision is his biggest yet as glaring statement omission sparks concern
The Bluebirds owner addressed supporters with a statement following the club's relegation to League One
Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan
(Image: Huw Evans Picture Agency )
For the third summer in a row, Cardiff City enter the off-season under a cloud of uncertainty, with many huge decisions contingent on what Vincent Tan does next.
Two years ago, supporters were waiting with bated breath to learn of Sabri Lamouchi's fate after the Frenchman had steered Cardiff to safety by the skin of their teeth. Lamouchi's contract was up and while Mehmet Dalman said he was confident he would stay, a lack of chemistry between owner and manager meant the former Nottingham Forest manager walked away after just four months in charge.
Last summer, Erol Bulut was also eagerly awaiting a decision from the hierarchy after his first season in charge saw Cardiff bag a 12th-placed finish, punching well above their weight and finishing 10 places higher than their statistics suggested they should have. This time, Tan stuck with Bulut, offered him a two-year deal and it backfired miserably as the worst start to a season in the club's 125-year history played out in the weeks and months after.
Once again, there is uncertainty, a lack of clarity and concern as Cardiff prepare for their first third-tier season for 23 years. Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community.
Tan sought to reassure supporters with a statement earlier this week, in which he called relegation "upsetting", before saying: "A period of review is being undertaken; a permanent manager and management team will be appointed in the coming weeks."
While it will be heartening to supporters that a managerial appointment process is already under way and is set to be concluded in a matter of weeks, fans were right to point out the lack of structural changes alluded to in Tan's statement.
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Indeed, that fact was also pointed out in a subsequent statement released by the supporters' trust. Their statement read: "In terms of the club statement we note that a review of the overall structures and practices, culminating in the appointment of a new permanent manager and management team, is taking place.
"As referred to in our statement there is a lack of football expertise at board level. Consequently, we would want to be assured that people with football expertise are being engaged to advise about that restructuring."
In an ideal world, if Tan was to bring more football acumen on board, the club would appoint such a person before deciding on a new manager, because that call would come under the remit of a technical director.
It is arguable that the decision to overhaul the structure at board level is just as great as the man the club chooses to appoint as manager in the weeks ahead.
Aaron Ramsey, the interim manager, said at the weekend that other places where he's played have all had directors of football, a person responsible for carrying out a roadmap to footballing success. Indeed, on Wednesday, ahead of his final game as caretaker boss against Norwich City, he added: "You haven't got someone here day to day, being amongst the place, someone has to link all that and put things into place that it needs."
It would be a big oversight, the many people's view, for Tan not to add a football-specific body to the board this summer, however the weight of history suggests the owner is unlikely to change his view.
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If that is the case, then it makes the next manager call even more important. Young head coaches struggle to manage upwards at Cardiff and/or deal with the size of the club. It's a club which tends to lend itself to big personalities or bosses with the requisite experience at the level.
Retention of players and summer recruitment are all likely to be affected by Tan's next call, arguably his biggest in 15 years at the helm, in order to ensure this drop to League One is merely a blimp and that it does not somehow become the new normal. Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here.
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