9 hours Ago By [email protected] (Glen Williams)
Cardiff City interim boss Omer Riza has flown to Malaysia to hold talks with club owner Vincent Tan in a bid to break the stalemate over the vacant managerial position, WalesOnline has learned. The Bluebirds have not appointed a permanent successor to Erol Bulut for 54 days and Riza himself has admitted that the club needs clarity before it can move forward in earnest. Riza has this week prepared like he is to be given the keys permanently, although that has not yet been communicated to him, of course.
He took his side away to Brentford for a friendly fixture against the Premier League side, which you can read more about here , before catching a flight to Kuala Lumpur. While in the Malaysian capital, Riza is expected to meet with Cardiff's owner for the first time, however the pair have spoken before and after pretty much every game since he was placed in charge on an interim basis. Tan has always held the view that he would like to hand young managers their opportunity and has wanted to find that diamond in the rough.
Of course, there is a financial element to the decision, with Bulut having to be paid off just six games into a two-year contract balanced with what could be a financially ruinous threat of relegation after such a poor start. But Riza has credit after winning four and drawing two of his nine games in charge so far, winning over many players, staff and supporters in the process and bringing some much-needed positivity after such a terrible start to the season. The club have quietly insisted they would take their time over appointing a permanent manager, however a deal appeared to be close after the Bluebirds came behind for an unlikely late win against Norwich City a week and a half ago.
Sign up to our daily Cardiff City newsletter here . Some insiders at the club were surprised a deal had not been concluded for Riza to take the job on a short-term contract that weekend, while others insisted the decision-makers wanted to wait until after the games against Luton Town and Blackburn Rovers before a contract call was made. Cardiff , of course, ended their six-game unbeaten run at Luton and then lost again three days later against Blackburn at Cardiff City Stadium.
A visit to Malaysia was planned in the meantime and that is likely to spell positive news for Riza, who is keen to have his first proper job in management and wants to prove his worth at Championship level after making an impressive start in his nine-game tenure so far. WHATSAPP: Join the Cardiff City breaking news and top stories WhatsApp community The outcome of that meeting is likely to go a long way towards deciding Riza's future and in which direction the club move. With January around the corner and contract calls to be made on players as well , a number of important decisions must be taken, one way or another, if Cardiff are to move away from those bottom three places and up the table in the coming weeks and months.
This, at the very least, looks like a major step forward in a bid to answer the supporters' cries for closure on the situation..
