By Gareth James
Aaron Ramsey could yet be plunged into a dramatic and red-hot comeback against Swansea City this weekend.
The Wales skipper last started a Championship game for Cardiff City in the South Wales Derby in the Welsh capital six months ago, when he helped to end a run of four successive defeats by stroking home a penalty in a 2-0 win.
Bluebirds boss Erol Bulut has revealed he will make a late call on Ramsey ahead of the 12.30pm kick-off at the Swansea.Com Stadium on Saturday, even though he was expected to be absent until after the international break due to a calf injury.
Cardiff City manager Erol Bulut says Wales did not contact the club before recalling Aaron Ramsey.#BBCFootball #CardiffCity pic.twitter.com/NNyZ2dgyDm
— BBC Sport Wales (@BBCSportWales) March 14, 2024
However, just three days before Cardiff’s trip to Swansea, Ramsey was included in Rob Page’s 28-man squad for Wales’ Euro 2024 play-off campaign.
And Bulut says Ramsey – who resumed training earlier this week – could be a surprise inclusion in his squad to face Luke Williams’ outfit at the weekend.
“We are going to decide tomorrow if he will be with us in the squad or not,” said the Cardiff boss.
“Today he trained and tomorrow we will see. I don’t want to risk Aaron to let him play 20 or 30 minutes and then lose him for the rest of the season so I need to speak to the medical team and Ramsey.”
Erol Bulut demands better communication between Wales and Cardiff City as Aaron Ramsey update emerges https://t.co/qDXNK8i65b pic.twitter.com/BLAKkkDLRe
— Cardiff City Online (@CardiffCityLive) March 14, 2024
Ramsey has not started a Championship fixture since the Bluebirds beat Swansea 2-0 in mid-September.
Following Cardiff’s stalemate with Blackburn Rovers in February, Bulut said Ramsey would be unavailable for Wales duty this month.
But following his shock inclusion in the international squad, Bulut urged the Football Association of Wales – who share their training base with Cardiff – to communicate better with the club over player situations in future.
“I was expecting (contact) from the management or manager of Wales but I haven’t had any discussion or communication with him about that,” added Bulut.
“In the past he made some talks to the press which was in a different way, I would advise him to have better communication with us or at least the medical department, before the press.”
https://twitter.com/JordanWebber96/status/1768376948282003932?s=20
Cardiff are bidding to win for the fifth game running this weekend while they are also seeking a first ever league double over rivals Swansea.
And with his side still in the mix for a Championship play-off spot, Bulut admits he’s targeting what would be an historic outcome for the club should they leave Swansea with three points.
“It would be great if we could make it happen. It would be great for the club, for the players and for the team, added Bulut.
“We know what is expected of us there. We will be prepared for that.”
Aaron Ramsey could feature for Cardiff in Saturday's south Wales derby at Swansea.
But Cardiff manager Erol Bulut is not happy that Wales did not contact the club before recalling Ramsey, who's only played 72 minutes since September because of injury: https://t.co/tonoaaJGdh
— Dafydd Pritchard (@DafPritchard) March 14, 2024
