By Gareth James
Erol Bulut has issued an impassioned defence of his record as Cardiff City manager as he seeks to stay in charge this summer.
The Bluebirds boss has taken issue with his critics, who he claims have tried to suggest he should take little credit for the club’s improvement on last season.
Bulut’s blast came after his team lost 3-1 at Millwall on Saturday, a club managed by former Cardiff manager Neil Harris.
The Turkish boss is still waiting to learn if he will be offered a new deal for next season and has hinted he may look elsewhere if the uncertainty continues.
In Case You Missed It
Erol Bulut Demands Cardiff City Keep Momentum Going To Season’s End
Read here: https://t.co/xadrOK0tJX pic.twitter.com/3j3M0NLikn
— Dai Sport (@Dai_Sport_) April 11, 2024
But while he waits, Bulut has suggested critics are attempting to undermine him by draining the confidence from his players.
“It’s normal that people criticise me, fans, media, this is my job. I am not perfect. I have to learn a lot of things,” said Bulut.
“But you cannot say this season that it is luck that we are here with 59 points. I am long enough in this business, I played football for 20 years.
“In the press sometimes I am reading these things, someone wants to show that all our work this season is bad. This I do not accept.
“I know what my guys did this season. What we did all this season. No one can speak badly about our work.
“It’s enough. All the last few weeks I am reading these things, getting these messages. Until now I never spoke about these things. But enough is enough.
“They can criticise me, I don’t have any problem with this. But I think they do it on purpose, these messages.
“Of course, we are reading this, the players are reading this, it affects us also. It affects players. When you speak about players, the coach, our game, things like this, it affects the players.”
Vincent Tan must be tossing a coin to make the decision on Bulut.
Championship safety ✅
Exciting football ❌
Some away wins ✅
Home form ❌
Some derby wins ✅
Negative tactics ❌Do we want the same again next season?
Only if the ❌ are addressed.
— Cardiff City Mad (@cardiffcitymad) April 13, 2024
Jake Cooper’s volley had given Millwall a 2-1 half-time lead after Michael Obafemi and Yakou Meite had traded goals.
Harris’ side refused to feel the pressure, with Duncan Watmore making sure of victory in stoppage time.
Bulut also had harsh words for his players, questioning their mental strength after they lost for the fourth time in six matches.
“The main thing is the mentality, how you go in the game, if you want to change this game, if you want to win this game, what you are expecting from yourself individually,” he added..
“I can speak only to my players, but the mentality on the field has to change, especially in the second half.
“Consistency is the biggest problem that we have this season. If it was a little bit different then we would be speaking now about different things.
“It was like day and night. In the first half it was clear that the better team was Cardiff but we conceded two goals and the second half was not acceptable.
“If you have these small mistakes in your game then it is difficult to come back.”
Latest: Millwall 1-1 Cardiff
Obafemi, 9
Meite, 24 pic.twitter.com/vjou56L58c— Cardiff City Mad (@cardiffcitymad) April 13, 2024
