Football Season Guide

Cardiff City endured a nightmare season which ended in the ignominy of relegation from the Championship. It marks 15 years of Vincent Tan’s controversial ownership and the Bluebirds in their blue shirts find themselves back in the third tier of English football for the first time since 2003. He’s estimated to have covered losses of more than £200m but the club is now at its lowest ebb since the turn of the millennium. Erol Bulut lasted less than 16 months as manager and his replacement, Omer Riza, was in the role for less than seven months. Both were seen as cheap options for the job, one which was not seen a particularly attractive one at that. Aaron Ramsey’s dream of returning to his boyhood club turned into a nightmare. Persistent injuries limited his contributions on the pitch and he was given the last three weeks of the season as caretaker manager in a desperate attempt to avoid the drop. There is a feeling the club is continuing on its slow spiral downwards with Brian Barry-Murphy appointed head coach this summer. He was previously coaching at Leicester City with his only managerial experience ending in resignation following relegation to League Two with Rochdale. At the time of writing the Bluebirds have yet to make a single signing this summer. Key players from last season have departed with Ramsey himself opting for a move to Mexico. Centre-back Dimitrios Gouta and midfielder Callum O’Dowda have moved onto the continent with Genclerbirligi and Ferencvaros respectively but the biggest loss is midfielder and Captain Joe Ralls. Following talks with Barry-Murphy, Ralls moved on after 15 years at the club and it feels like a significant move. It leaves Barry-Murphy with three big issues; retaining his better players, bringing new ones whilst integrating young players from the under-21’s.