Bulut ushers in a new era for the Bluebirds

CARDIFF CITY unveiled new manager Erol Bulut yesterday afternoon as a new era starts in the Welsh capital. Here is what he said, along with chairman Mehmet Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo.

MD: I would like to welcome Erol to Cardiff City. I am delighted with this appointment and I couldn’t have done it without Ken (Choo) and Vincent (Tan).

This meeting should be about Erol. So I will pass it over.

■ What attracted you to the job

EB: I wanted to thank Vincent, Mehmet Dalman and Ken to make it possible that I am here. It was not the easy way. But we had discussions 10 days ago when we met, so then we made it possible that we are all together right now here.

I wanted to have a new challenge to be in the Championship to show what I can show in that league, like what I already showed in the Turkish league in the last six years.

We had the chance to go to the Europa League qualification. Cardiff will be a different way.

I am always a manager to have targets, without targets you cannot survive. Also, the players should know the targets we have. For that, we have to work hard every day. Have discipline. Respect each other.

■ What are the difficulties in not being able to pay for players, did they not put you off?

EB: I already had it many times in the Turkish league. It will not be easy. But also we have good contacts to European leagues to search for good players to bring them here.

We cannot buy players, but we can loan players and we can loan good players, I hope, and work all together to fix it as early as possible.

At the end of the transfer period there will be more effective players on the transfer market, maybe we can get them. e have to search and get as many good players as possible. The Championship is a tough league, the teams who are in the league are tough teams, but we will also be tough for them. ■ Your contract, staff and Tan...?

EB: With Vincent, I had a conversation two weeks ago via Zoom call. Vincent already got promoted two times to the Premier League. Why not a third time? We will make everything possible. Last year was not so easy to keep in the league, but we don’t want to be in that position again, so we will have to work for that.

■ Coaching staff?

EB: Yes, two of my old staff will be with me. In the following days I will speak with a few others, we will have to speak in the coming days.

■ How long is the contract?

EB: One year. It shows we have a target and we can continue this work together. One year plus two (as an option which can be triggered).

■ Target for the club this season?

EB: First of all, the training camp and sessions we have to observe what we have and what we need. I have watched two or three games and already we can see what kind of players we have to take for the new season.

■ What sort of manager are you?

EB: First of all, I don’t like to talk about me. I don’t like that. But one thing I can say about myself, I like discipline for my players, respect each other, not only respect the coach, themselves and the people in the club. That is very important to me.

I’m not a gamble. I like to win. I do not like to lose. I will make everything possible to win and not lose. If we don’t win, we have to get a point. At home, we have to be much stronger, with the fans behind us, everywhere, we need them to support us and we can make some good games. I hope more than this season.

■ Why Erol?

KC: We interviewed several managers. Between Mehmet and me, almost a dozen. He came across as a person who has fire in the eyes. The same characteristics as Vincent, so we knew they would get along. He has that determination and fire in him to succeed.

Bringing a family over to Wales is not an easy position for Erol, but he has decided and we will support him. It’s a no-brainer.

■ Any players lined up?

EB: I saw two games, so from there I already thought in my head that I had a system I wanted to play with the team. We have to discuss about that, but already I have in my head the players I want already.

■ Fire in the eye, can you go through the search for a manager?

MD: Because it was the end of season, we didn’t have to rush. This time we had a process in place.We tried to approach Erol two years ago, or 18 months ago, we tried to work with him.

We went through the process and had some very good candidates more European than English.

We went through several interviews on the same candidate. I flew Erol to Monaco which was the first time I met him.

What distinguished Erol for me was two things – one, his desire to win something and establish his own reputation. That’s a good motivation I can tag along with.

Many years ago when I went to work in the city, these investment banks came in and all said the same thing and I asked the hedge fund manager how he decided, and he said it was the one he could have a relationship with. That’s the relationship I feel I can have with Erol.

His ambition was important but his personality was important, those are the two real factors.

■ The team has lost half its games in the last two years, how do you turn losers into winners?

EB: There are some small details about losing and winning. But I think I will have the job with my coaches to put it in the players’ minds not about losing, about winning points and winning games. This will start the first day when we meet here. We will have a lot of meetings individually and within groups.

When I started my first job in management, I decided to be a head coach, they were not in a good position, I said we had to think positively.

This is football – 46 games – from the last to the first one we can change a lot of things.

■ What style are you looking to play?

EB: My style, my favourite is 4-2-31, sometimes 4-3-3. We can speak a lot about systems. But in the game, all my players should know that when we have the ball they know what to do. It could look like a 4-2-31 but it could change.

■ The team was not good enough last year, what do you think of it, where does it needs strengthening?

EB: We need in every department. Offensive department, Cardiff scored only 41 goals. Second bottom scorers. In attacking, we have to invest. Attacking is not only wingers, strikers, No.10. This will start from the back, from the goalkeeper.

■ Do you have players yourself you want to bring in?

EB: We have some players in our hand. Some players we will have to discuss about them. I think from the club, their contracts are finished, seven of them.

I have to see the players in training for the first 10 days. I think around eight to 10 players can be possible.

■ From the continent?

EB: I think it will be a mix, because the last few years were only British.

■ There’s a lack of managing outside of Turkey, is that a handicap or can it help you?

EB: I don’t think it’s a handicap. I know the system. I played in Greece and Germany, this helps me a lot.

■ How ambitious are you?

EB: I don’t want to mention now. I want to start and during the season we will see where it is going.

■ What are your targets?

MD: We made a decision not to just improve the team. This is an effort for us to start a new initiative and really have a go. I would be doing the manager a disservice to talk about my targets, the manager’s targets are my targets. This isn’t an exercise in getting a football manager in. This is not a cheap hire. We have targets, strategy and a vision. Erol will be a key in that strategy.

I don’t want a season like last season - it was horrible.

■ Were other clubs interested in you?

EB: I can tell you honestly, first of all I want to make the decision quick, because I can plan early, because some leagues are still playing. In Germany, I have good contacts over there.

Mehmet said, when we met, what they want and what I want, it was the same. They feel also that I am the right man and I can say from my side that I want the Championship and I want the challenge.

I like the competition here in England. I also follow Championship games and I like the style. I was listening in Turkey where I was manager.

■ A message to the Cardiff fans?

EB: My message is that we need them. For every game. We need that support from the fans. The players can put maybe 10 or 20 per cent more on their game (because of it).

Patience is needed. In two or three weeks we cannot say we will win everything. We have to take steps one by one. If we take three or four steps immediately, it can be difficult. We need to work on it.

■ You’ve got high targets?

EB: We will see. I have an opinion on what I want from the team, the club and myself. I have also pushed myself on the highest level. This will be no different. I push myself on something and then ask it of my players.