The last few years for EFL Championship side Cardiff City have been a struggle and this season has been no different with the Welsh side sat 22nd on goal difference. The Bluebirds haven't finished higher than 12th since the 2020/2021 season, when they finished 8th. But could caretaker manager Omer Riza be the man to turn fortunes around after a successful start in South Wales?
It was an awful start to the season for Cardiff, who took just one point from their opening six games.
Although that point was against fierce rivals Swansea City, their 2 - 0 defeat to Leeds United in September spelled the end for then-manager Erol Bulut after just over a season in the job.
Following a strong transfer window, expectations were high for Bulut in his second season. Despite losing key defender Mark McGuinness to relegated Luton Town, the Bluebirds recruited strongly.
Chris Willock was picked up on a free transfer as well as former Aston Villa duo Calum Chambers and Anwar El Ghazi, both of whom have Premier League experience. Exciting Manchester City prospect Alex Robertson also arrived after helping Portsmouth to promotion.
While these were certainly the most exciting signings, the arrival of Wilfried Kanga on loan from Hertha Berlin and the permanent signings of Jasper Daland and Will Fish also added much-needed depth for Bulut.
Even with his new signings at his disposal, Bulut was unable to do enough to break a merry-go-round cycle of managers coming in and out of the Cardiff City Stadium. Since Neil Harris' departure in January 2022, Bulut was the fifth permanent manager to take charge.
Bulut was thought of by the Cardiff faithful as the man to end the disappointing years which have followed their relegation from the Premier League in 2019.
He started well, guiding the club to a top half finish for the first time in three years. Perhaps even sweeter for the Bluebirds faithful though was a first home win over rivals Swansea since 2013; the result ended a run of four straight derby defeats.
This season did not start well however for Bulut, as his side failed to win any of their league games before his sacking on the 22nd of September; their only solace was a 2 - 0 victory over Bristol Rovers in a low-key Carabao Cup tie.
Omer Riza took Bulut's place in South Wales, the Turkish coach being given the role on an interim basis initially. His first game in charge didn't exactly show any signs of a new manager bounce, as Cardiff were thrashed 4 - 1 by fellow-strugglers Hull City.
Since that defeat however, the former Arsenal forward has guided City to four wins and two draws from his following eight games in charge. This is a brilliant start for any Championship manager, but add in the fact that this represents 14 of Cardiff's 15 points all season and it's clear what a remarkable job the Turk has done.
Not including the defeat to Hull, the Bluebirds have conceded just four goals under Riza, and three were in the defeat to Blackburn Rovers last time out.
The focus on defensive improvements hasn't scampered the attacking threat though; Cardiff played some lovely football in a 5 - 0 demolition of relegation rivals Plymouth Argyle.
One of the goalscorers from that win over Wayne Rooney's side was Callum Robinson. The former West Bromwich Albion striker has struck gold under Omer Riza, netting four times in seven games; he scored just once under Bulut this season.
For a player who was on the verge of leaving the Cardiff City Stadium in the Summer, the Irishman is proving his worth after scoring just once in last season's Championship.
Another player thriving under Riza is academy graduate Rubin Colwill. The Welsh international has always been highly thought of by the club and the fans but always struggled for consistent minutes under Erol Bulut.
This has been far from the case since Riza took charge, as he has started every game since the change of managers, scoring once and providing three assists.
Riza is unquestionably doing a good job then. The Turkish forward-turned-coach took over a Cardiff team with just one point in the league but has earned 14 from his eight games in charge.
Despite his wonderful start though, Cardiff continue to search for an alternative permanent manager. The strongest link so far was to Icelandic coach Freyr Alexandersson, who currently manages Belgian Pro League side KV Kortrijk, but the former Iceland National Team assistant manager has confirmed that he will be staying in Belgium.
Other names linked to the Championship club include Steven Schumacher, Ryan Lowe and Ruben Selles, but nothing concrete has come from these links thus far.
With the lack of progress in terms of selecting a replacement, is Omer Riza the best option for the Bluebirds?
He's certainly had an impact on the players, turning results around in an incredibly dramatic way, albeit with slightly easier fixtures than his predecessor faced. Riza has certainly shown the ability to get results out of this group and really seems to be getting the best out of several players in the squad, lifting Cardiff off the bottom of the table.
Riza reportedly flew to Malaysia last week to discuss his future with owner Vincent Tan, which is likely a step in the right direction if the Turk wants the job on a permanent basis, and really very little reason exists not to give it to him.
As well as the performances and results already improving, Cardiff have an easier run up to Christmas; in their opening fifteen fixtures, they've already played a staggering 11 out of 12 of the teams currently in the top half of the Championship.
The real test of Riza's potential to take Cardiff back towards the top half of the Championship will come in the next couple of weeks. Having gone on a six-game unbeaten run, the Bluebirds have now lost their last two games (to Luton and Blackburn), demanding a response after the international break.
If Riza can deliver such a response, he will be in a brilliant position not only to guide his team out of the relegation zone, but also to secure the permanent job at the Cardiff City Stadium for himself.
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