Erol Bulut: Cardiff City should hand manager a new contract, says Sol Bamba

Former Cardiff City player and assistant boss Sol Bamba believes the Bluebirds should hand Erol Bulut a new contract.

Lamouchi's successor, ex-Fenerbahce boss Bulut, signed a one-year Cardiff deal which expires this summer.

"I think they have found a good manager," Bamba said.

"Everyone says it and I can see from the way the team is playing that the players love him.

"If I could give advice to Cardiff it would be to tie him down, definitely.

"I think eventually they will and it would be the right thing to do because if you want to build anything, you have got to have consistency and a vision.

"I think if you give a manager one year, it's always hard to have a vision. So hopefully he can sign a new deal and move forward."

Former Ivory Coast defender Bamba returned to Cardiff in January 2023 having previously spent five years playing for the club.

He was named assistant to Lamouchi, who became Cardiff's third boss of last season, signing a short-term deal until the end of the campaign.

Lamouchi and Bamba steered Cardiff to a 21st-place Championship finish but owner Vincent Tan opted to overhaul the managerial set-up once more last summer, with Bulut handed a first job in British football.

Bulut has made a positive impact at Cardiff, who looked like play-off contenders in the early stages of the season.

They have struggled for form at times and were well beaten in last week's south Wales derby, but are in mid-table - well clear of relegation danger - with only eight games of the campaign remaining.

"They had a very good start to the season, then it was a bit tough around November, December, but that's the season isn't it - it's up and down," Bamba added.

"They have got a good manager, good players. Obviously I watched the derby and was very disappointed with that.

"But overall I think it's a good season as long as you finish comfortable in mid-table because last season we fought against going down.

"So I think if you steady the ship this season and try to push on next year, that will be good for Cardiff."

Bamba, 39, joined Cardiff as a player in October 2016 and went on to make 118 appearances for the Welsh side.

Having arrived at almost the same time as then manager Neil Warnock, Bamba helped lift Cardiff clear of relegation danger before playing a central part in their promotion to the Premier League in the following season.

It was revealed in early 2021 that Bamba had been diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma, but four months later the former Leeds and Leicester player announced he was cancer free.

Bamba has recently been back in Wales studying for his pro licence - the highest coaching qualification available - as he looks to continue his managerial career.

He says he was "very disappointed" to leave Cardiff last year - but is eyeing a chance to return at some point in the future.

"I hope so," Bamba said. "That's my aim definitely. I have a special relationship with this club and the people so if I got a chance to come back, I definitely would.

"But it's step by step. I am doing my pro licence, starting my managerial journey. Hopefully eventually I can come and manage this club."