Every word from Erol Bulut as under-fire Cardiff City boss addresses his future and expects talks with board

-Credit: (Image: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)
-Credit: (Image: Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)


The pressure is mounting on Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut after he oversaw the club's worst start to a league season 94 years.

Not since the 1930/31 season, when Cardiff started with five defeats on the bounce before drawing the sixth game of the old Second Division, have the Bluebirds posted just one point after half a dozen games.

Following a miserable 2-0 loss to Leeds United, Cardiff find themselves rooted to the bottom of the table, with just one goal in the bank. It sees Bulut facing mounting pressure and criticism from the fans and he spoke to the media after the game. Here is every word...

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Disappointed with not only defeat but the performance?

Erol Bulut: "We spoke before and we knew how important and how difficult the game would be for us. The plans for today was to stay compact and not allow the opponents chances and to counter well. But after 23 minutes we were only with 10 men and then we conceded after 30 minutes against a team like Leeds, with the quality they have, it's not easy to come back and change the game.

"But also, in the first half, we invited them for chances because we lost the ball too easily. Too many easy, individual mistakes. When you do this against Leeds, the offence they have, if you invite them they take it. This was the point.

"The second half - I cannot say anything because they worked really hard to come back. It's not fair to say they didn't try. They tried really hard. But the second goal on 88 minutes, we shouldn't do that mistake. I'm expecting from an experienced, good defender, what Calum Chambers is, to clear it better."

Was the match heading for a defeat before the red card?

EB: "We knew they would dominate the game. That's why our strategy was for the counter-attacks to get chances to score. But even in the 23 minutes we also couldn't manage that, because we had many easy, small mistakes. Too easy. We won the ball and lost it immediately again. We made passing mistakes. Speed wasn't there. We didn't ask for the ball or make runs in behind. Then it's difficult."

What did you make of the red card?

EB: "From my position, what I see, I don't know if (Callum) O'Dowda was close to help him. The referee decided [it was red], so it's his decision and we have to accept it."

Where does this result leave your position as manager?

EB: "When you don't take results as a manager or as a team, you get attacked and critics are coming. This is normal. Everywhere is the same. Even if you play some games much better, but if you don't score, no one speaks about how well you played and how many chances you created. If you don't score, no one asks you how many chances you had. Everything is about winning and losing. If you lose games it is normal you get criticism.

"These critics I take. I can say that in front of them. But it has to be at a normal level. We don't forget that when I took over last season, where the club had been. We were nearly relegated if Reading didn't get the six points taken away, maybe we wouldn't be here. But this is the past, now we have to speak about this. It is normal you have critics if you don't get a result after six games."

Have you spoken to the board or the owner?

EB: "No. But I am sure we will have a meeting."

Is there reason for you to be fearful?

EB: "It comes like this, I have to accept it. What can I change when the board say we are not together any more? But I prepare myself for the training on Monday and I will prepare the team for the next game. We cannot say everything is wrong. The results are important and some things have to change. We can change it. When we see the first six games, this team, the way that we played deserves the position that we are."

Are you not more fearful about your position? Vincent Tan changes managers a lot

EB: "For him it will not be something new I don't think!

"Why do I have to worry about that? Because he is the owner. Of course, he wants results and that the club is getting in a better position. When we speak about this, we can speak about a lot of other things, but right now is not the moment. Many things are connected.

"If the club takes this decision, they have to make this decision, I have to take it how it comes."

Has Vincent Tan given you a time frame to turn this around in?

EB: "No. I didn't have anything about this from him. We didn't talk about something like that."

You still confident you can take this team forward?

EB: "Yes. Because when I see the first six games, Sunderland, Middlesbrough, even Burnley, OK we lost 5-0 but what we tried to play, even the derby game, we had the chances to win the game. The point is only that we didn't score. If we could score the results would be much, much different. Against Middlesbrough we had three chances to score and conceded from a corner kick. We lost the game. In Derby, from nothing, before their goal we could have scored three goals. But if the results are not there. It's normal you have critics."

You still have confidence in the players?

EB: "Yes, because I know what they can deliver because we showed it in pre-season. But on the other side I am expecting from a few players a bit more than what they showed until now. I can take critics, this is normal, I make my first XI with my coaches. I have responsibility, no problem, but players also have responsibilities."

Changing team and formation but the result is always the same?

EB: “I think after the red card, also for the team it was much more difficult. Even with 11, we might have got a draw. But I cannot speak about what didn’t happen, only what was. We were with 10, we worked really hard to change it but there is a different in quality between the teams.”

Targets pre-season were much higher than last year?

EB: “The aim is to make it better. You never know. I know what we have, we know what quality we have and what the team can really achieve in the season. I still believe the team can be in mid-table at the end of the season.”

A lot of angry fans, what is your message to them?

EB: “In Thursday’s press conference, I mentioned a few things about that. The club, the players, me, we don’t need somebody next to us only when it’s going well. In hard moments, you really see who’s around you. This is important for every club. We saw last season how close we were together. Even in bad moments we have been good together.

"I have to take it how it is right now. I cannot change the opinion of fans and media. I try always to help Cardiff City. Even if they stick with me, the decision will be from the board. Before I get that, I will continue my work.”

The board are here today, are you going to speak to them now?

EB: “I don't know. No one has sent me anything. If so, we can talk.”