Latest news with #Riza.
BBC News
15-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Riza targets 'eight finals' after Blackburn win
Manager Omer Riza says Cardiff City will approach their last eight games of the Championship season like cup finals as they fight to avoid 2-1 win at Blackburn Rovers was only the Bluebirds' second away win of the season and ended a three-match losing remain deep in trouble in 21st place and just one point above the bottom three, but victory at Ewood Park eased the pressure that was mounting on Riza."It was a much-needed win. The mentality and approach now is about getting the job done," Riza told BBC Sport Wales."To a man, the boys did that and we got the result we deserved."Coming off the back of the Luton defeat [last Tuesday], we said we had nine finals. One down, eight to go."The Championship now takes a break for the international window, with Cardiff returning to league action on Saturday, 29 March with a home game against Sheffield Wednesday.
BBC News
13-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Riza offloads as pressure builds on Cardiff boss
Cardiff City manager Omer Riza says he takes "full responsibility" for the Bluebirds' dropped to 21st in the Championship in midweek by suffering a third-straight defeat, against Luton for Derby County and Plymouth Argyle have dragged Cardiff within a point of the relegation zone, as they have been since 1 pressure at an all-time high for Riza, the Cardiff boss started Thursday's press conference with an unprompted, but impassioned seven-minute speech."Anything that happens at the club in respect of our performances on the pitch, the decisions players make in terms of tactics and player positioning is all on me," began Riza." "I take responsibility for my team, whether it's results, whether it's tactics. I think that's important because sometimes when I do press calls or I do things after games, I don't ever want it to sound like I'm blaming my players."My players and I, and my staff, we are all one. I think it's really important that everyone understands that. "I'll always take full responsibility for my teams wherever I'm at." Riza continued by addressing complaints about playing certain players out of position."We play players in positions we feel can do the job," said Riza."You've got to understand the game and you've got to understand it tactically. You've got to understand strategical things in the game in respect of player positioning."I think we've been very successful with Callum Chambers. He's moved into midfield and he's probably been one of our best midfielders this year."Andy Rinomhota was a player that was a bit a of a nomad if you like. He's done excellent this year. He's played right-back and he's played central midfield."There's always positives with negatives. Sometimes players play in a position and don't do well. It can happen."Riza also spoke about the recruitment of the club and communication with the board and owner Vincent Tan, with whom he said he has a "very good" concluded: "I'm a man of honesty, integrity and hard work, and that will never change."Whether I'm here today or whether I'm here tomorrow, I'll talk honestly and I think that's just important to say." Riza 'open to talking to fans' Cardiff fans voiced their frustrations at the end of Tuesday's defeat, as loud boos echoed around Cardiff City Stadium at full time.A number of fans have posted on social media about interactions with Riza, who said he always tries to find time to speak to supporters."For me, we're all human at the end of the day," said Riza."People ask questions, whether they are fans or not. If they ask a question and I have time to answer it, I will answer it."If they don't understand it I will explain it to them, I think it is important as a human."If it is not nice I'll just say, 'Thank you for that, ask me in a different way next time and you may get an answer'."The fans want to be part of everything and know what is going on. Hopefully they see that I like to have time for them as well."Riza and Cardiff have nine games left in their battle, starting with a trip to Ewood Park on Saturday to take on Blackburn Rovers."It goes deeper than tactics now," said Riza. "It's the will to win and the mentality to win and what you have to do in order to do that."Our mindset has to be different, that's the biggest thing of all. "We've spoken about the squad, it's a good squad with good players, but the league doesn't lie."The players that we have and the staff that we have all have to do better to make sure we aren't where we are."
BBC News
10-03-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'No other option' than to beat Luton
Omer Riza says Cardiff City have "no other option" than to beat fellow strugglers Luton Town in their Championship relegation scrap on Tuesday (19:45 GMT).The Hatters are bottom-but-one in the table, five points adrift of Cardiff, who occupy the place directly above the relegation teams go into the game at the Cardiff City Stadium after weekend defeats to promotion suffered a 4-0 thrashing at Burnley, while Cardiff went down 2-1 against Sunderland."It's another must-win game," said Bluebirds boss Riza."We are at home, our form hasn't been too bad at home. They are in the position that they are in and we need to win."It's a massive game, they're in trouble, we're in trouble and we need to get three points, there's no other option." Like Cardiff, Luton have changed managers this season due to poor results. The Hatters appointed former Wycombe head coach Bloomfield in January, succeeding Rob Edwards, while Cardiff replaced Erol Bulut with Riza earlier in the season."They've made a managerial change and have got their problems but I'm not too interested in Luton and the problems they've got. We've got to look at ourselves, we need to get our points and to do it ASAP," added Riza."Fifty [points] is the target, we've just got to focus on trying to win games and pick up points."Cardiff's defeat at Sunderland means they have only one win from 18 away league games this season, but they have been more formidable opponents on their own to Burnley last week was Cardiff's first loss in seven home fixtures in the second meanwhile, have won just once in their past 14 league games, while they have banked only five points from a possible 54 on the road this season.
BBC News
27-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
'Not possible' for Cardiff to be full strength at Villa
Cardiff City manager Omer Riza says their battle to avoiding relegation has made it "not possible" for him to field a full-strength side against Aston Villa in the FA Cup on Bluebirds are just three places and six points above the Championship's bottom three, with 12 league games who are into the fifth round of the FA Cup for the first time in 11 years, face third-place Burnley and fourth-place Sunderland the week after their trip to Villa Park."It's the FA Cup, the fifth round and I'd like to put my strongest team out so you can have a real go at it," said Riza."We have just got too many far more important games coming up, which is about surviving and staying in the Championship."If we were 12th in the league now and not where we are I'd have no issues putting out our full strength."But we have a lot of things we need to deal with in the league, we're not in that position. "We'll do our best and that's all we can do." Riza said if it were not for the fans, part of him would have preferred to have been knocked out in an earlier round."It's great for the fans, a good moment for them," said Riza. "They're really happy about the fact we're in the fifth round and going to Villa. There's 6,000 fans going which we're really happy with."I want to win and get to the final, but are we really going to do that?"Sometimes I think it would have been best if we went out in the third round, but then you look at it and say, 'Look what we've given the fans'. "I speak to lots of them and they are so excited about this game, and that's why I'm disappointed we can't be at full strength and have a real go at it."Despite Riza's frustrations, spirits will be high in the Cardiff camp after a crucial midweek win over Hull City, which lifted them above the Tigers in the Villa meanwhile suffered a 4-1 loss at Crystal Palace on Tuesday, and are likely to rest some players before their Champions League last 16 match with Club while naming a full-strength team may not be possible, Riza said "nothing was impossible" when it comes to the result."It's going to be a very tough game, but nothing is impossible in football," said Riza."They will still have a full team of internationals on the pitch, that's the depth they've got. "We have to manage the game accordingly and correctly. We have to approach it in a way where we're not easy to break down and use the ball diligently."
