Cardiff City next manager odds as Schumacher early favourite and ex players linked

Erol Bulut was sacked on Sunday, with the club starting the search for a new manager

Cardiff City have sacked manager Erol Bulut after a winless start to the season, and the focus now moves to appointing his replacement.

The Bluebirds have endured their worst start in 94 years, having lost five out of their six league matches. In that time, they've shipped 13 goals and managed to get on the scoresheet just once.

Having managed just one draw, the club are rooted to the bottom of the Championship - with Bulut relieved of his duties the day after their latest defeat, a 2-0 home loss to Leeds United.

Assistant manager Nikolaos Karydas has also left the club, with Omer Riza taking charge on an interim basis as the search begins for a new manager. You can follow the latest on the story here.

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The early odds from DragonBet show that Steven Schumacher is the early favourite at 7/1. The 40-year-old left Stoke City this month after less than a year in charge, having taken charge of the Potters for just 34 matches since getting the job last December.

Prior to his time in Stoke, he had won a League One title with Plymouth Argyle.

Former Barcelona attacker Oscar Garcia is 8/1, having carved out a lengthy managerial career since hanging up his boots in 2005. He was one of the candidates looked at when Bulut was first appointed.

He has enjoyed spells in England with Brighton and Watford - the latter lasting just 27 days after he stepped down after undergoing tests for chest pains - while he has won league titles in Israel and Austria with Maccabi Tel Aviv and Red Bull Salzburg respectively.

Former Arsenal youth product Riza is another of the early favourites at 9/1, having joined Bulut's backroom staff at the start of this season. Having previously worked in the age-grade systems at Watford and with England U17s, he'll have a chance to show what he can do as interim boss.

Beyond those three, there's some familiar names being banded about. Former Rochdale head coach and Manchester City development manager Brian Barry-Murphy - currently at 10/1 - was linked with the job in 2021 after Mick McCarthy left the club, while former club captain and current U21s boss Darren Purse is 11/1.

Ex-Bluebirds manager Steve Morrison - who is currently the manager of non-league Sutton United - is 12/1 for a return to the job he left in September 2022, while Portuguese manager Vitor Campelos - linked with the club in 2023 - is 14/1.

Alex Neil, David Wagner, Gary Rowett, Kevin Phillips, Tom Ramasut and Valerien Ismael are all 14/1, with former Wales assistant Kit Symons 16/1 alongside Mark Warburton.

Former Watford and Leeds boss Javi Gracia is 18/1 alongside Bluebirds favourite Rob Earnshaw..

The early Cardiff City next manager odds from DragonBet:

• Steven Schumacher 7/1
• Oscar Garcia 8/1
• Omer Riza 9/1
• Brian Barry-Murphy 10/1
• Darren Purse 11/1
• Steve Morison 12/1
• Vitor Campelos 12/1
• Alex Neil 14/1
• David Wagner 14/1
• Gary Rowett 14/1
• Kevin Phillips 14/1
• Tom Ramasut 14/1
• Valerien Ismael 14/1
• Kit Symons 16/1
• Mark Warburton 16/1
• Javi Gracia 18/1
• Rob Earnshaw 18/1