SEVEN MANAGERS CARDIFF CITY SHOULD CONSIDER
- ccfcinsider
- May 9
- 4 min read
Following Omer Riza's departure and The Bluebirds' relegation, here are the seven managerial options City should consider to give themselves the best chance of bouncing back.
Kees van Wonderen (Unemployed)
Age: 56
PPG: 1.20
Last Club: Schalke 04
Known for his tactical discipline, organized defending, and focus on possession-based football, van Wonderen has developed a reputation as a manager who can work with limited resources to build well-structured teams that control the tempo of matches. He emphasizes building from the back and retaining possession. His teams are often structured to control the ball, dominate midfield, and be patient with their build-up play, ensuring they don’t rush into decisions. Van Wonderen is known for his work with younger players, helping to develop talent and integrate them into the first team. His focus on youth development fits well with clubs that want to blend experienced players with emerging talent, similar to The Bluebirds. Van Wonderen is used to working in environments with limited resources, making him a perfect fit for Cardiff’s situation as they rebuild in League One. His ability to get the most out of a modest budget and turn average players into a cohesive, tactical unit would help Cardiff achieve sustainable success.
Des Buckingham (Unemployed)
Age: 40
PPG: 1.29
Last Club: Oxford United
Despite being relatively fresh in the manager scene in this country, Buckingham has a promotion from League One on his CV. Des Buckingham's style of play focuses on possession-based football, high pressing, and quick transitions. His teams aim to control the game through short passing and build attacks from the back, while pressing aggressively to win the ball high up the pitch. Fullbacks are key to his system, providing width and support in attack. Buckingham's teams are tactically flexible, with fluid attacking movements and an organized defensive structure. Overall, his approach is technical, dynamic, and adaptable to different match situations.
Nathan Jones (Charlton Athletic)
Age: 51
PPG: 1.71
Club: Charlton Athletic
Nathan Jones will be a lot of fans' pick. A Cardiff City fan that has consistently flirted with the role, and could be the perfect pick to turn Cardiff City Football Club around, similar to how he did with Luton Town. Nathan Jones' style of play is characterized by high pressing, tactical flexibility, and quick transitions. His teams build from the back, utilize wing play, and often counter-attack with direct and fast ball movement. Defensively, they are compact, organized, and aggressive, with a focus on physicality and winning duels. Jones demands a high work rate and strong teamwork, with players contributing both offensively and defensively. His approach combines intensity, adaptability, and a solid defensive foundation. Jones could be a costly option, with the Welshman on a long-term deal at The Addicks.
Kim Hellberg (Hammarby)
Age: 37
PPG: 1.87
Club: Hammarby
The hipster choice in the list. A young, exciting and progressive coach, Hellberg would bring a possession-based style to the CCS. The Swede’s favoured formation is a 4-3-3 with the back four he deploys often shifts to a three in possession with his full-backs moving into central areas. Hellberg likes to play with two advanced midfielders, the striker dropping deeper and the wingers utilising the full width of the pitch. Hellberg’s system is built on the foundations of controlled possession and high intensity, so Cardiff supporters would be a threat to fast-paced, attacking football if he is the man to take over. Hellberg’s sides have shown they’re adept at switching approaches on the fly to account for threats and opportunities they encounter in the flow of play. It’s a tactically intelligent team built for the contemporary game. The 37 year-old has a history of performing on a low budget and maximising the squad of players he's given.
Gerhard Struber (Unemployed)
Age: 48
PPG: 1.78
Last Club: 1. FC Köln
You may recognised Struber's name from his Barnsley days, where he kept The Tykes up after taking over with them bottom of the Championship table at the time. Struber looks to employ a direct, high-intensity style of football, with an emphasis on regaining possession quickly, preferably as the opposition are out of balance. He likes to use quick passing combinations to manipulate the opposition’s defensive shape, create overloads, and in general have plenty of players around the ball to secure possession and create counter-pressing opportunities. Struber could be the right man to set a style of play and culture, having been a part of the successful Red Bull system previously.
Ian Evatt (Unemployed)
Age: 43
PPG: 1.72
Last Club: Bolton Wanderers
Ian Evatt is probably one of the more experienced League One options available. The 43 year-old’s style of play is a progressive, possession-based approach that emphasizes building from the back, high pressing, and structured positional play. Typically using a 3-4-1-2 or 3-5-2 formation, his teams look to dominate the ball, stretch the pitch with aggressive wingbacks, and create overloads through intelligent movement and spacing. Evatt prioritizes technical ability and tactical discipline, encouraging his players to take calculated risks in possession while maintaining a high defensive line and pressing intensely when out of possession.
Aaron Ramsey (Cardiff City)
Age: 34
PPG: 0.66
Club: Cardiff City (Interim)
Aaron Ramsey is bound to be considered for the role, and given in his most recent interview didn't exactly rule it out, he sort of has to be on the list. If Rambo gets the job done, it will be on his terms, the right coaching staff, players and infrastructure, which is exciting as Ramsey knows what a successful/elite football club looks like. The 34 year-old wants front-footed and energetic football, something we saw in glimpses during his interim spell in charge, but with a full pre season could be worked on and elevated.
Summary:
A mixed bags of names that are attractive in various ways. Some ambitious targets, however City need to aim high if they hope to bounce straight back up to the second tier.
This is an awfully difficult decision, as there's so many credentials that need to be ticked it's almost impossible for City to find a candidate that will please everyone, however, Cardiff need to be decisive, and pick which route they want to go down and stick to it.
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