Omer Riza ‘happy to lose job’ on one condition, predicts Cardiff City ‘won’t improve’ until everyone ‘accepts’ key issue

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Things are going from bad to worse this week for Cardiff City manager Omer Riza, who looks set to lose his job, and now he’s had a bit of a meltdown in his latest press conference.

As things stand going into Friday’s game against Sheffield United, Cardiff are sitting in the bottom three and are arguably the team showing the least amount of fight of everyone in the Championship relegation battle.

A month ago, Omer Riza was clear about the ‘target’ his Cardiff side needed to achieve if they wanted to get out of trouble. Since then, they’ve failed to improve, going backwards instead.

After the weekend’s defeat against fellow strugglers Stoke City, Neil Warnock was lined up to replace Riza, though for the next game at least, it looks like the latter will stay in his role.

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Omer Riza’s shocking press conference hints at the end for him at Cardiff City

However, Riza’s latest comments don’t exactly scream harmony, with the Cardiff boss heavily suggesting that there are fractures both within the club and within the fanbase, and he even hinted he would be ready to move aside if the board think they can fix things without him.

Speaking to the press, he said: “It’s failure on my part if we go down… if they feel someone can come in and save Cardiff from going down, and do a better job than me, then I’m happy for it to happen. I don’t believe that’s the case. I believe I’m the right person to do the job.

“I don’t think expectations are high at this club. Listen, it’s Cardiff, it’s the capital of this country. It’s a club that has been in the Premier League. It’s a club that wants to do well; the fans want to do well, the club itself wants to do well.

“You have to look at what it is, and sometimes say this is where we’re at and this is what we need to do to improve. I think it’s a key to being able to develop, as a club, as people, as players.”

Riza discussed the problems at the club, adding: “That’s where we’re going wrong. You already know there’s a divide… until all that comes together, and there’s an acceptance of that issue, I don’t think it will ever improve.”

Things turned a little sour, though, as Riza began to lash out at a portion of the Cardiff City fanbase that have been questioning him and calling for his departure.

As reported by Phil Blanche, Riza said: “I read all the comments from fans and unfortunately a lot of them are clueless.”

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Could Neil Warnock really save Cardiff City?

There’s every chance that we could see Neil Warnock in the dugout for Cardiff’s game on Monday against Oxford United, especially if Riza loses tomorrow night.

By then, though, it may be too late even for the Championship master to change Cardiff’s fate. They’re a point adrift now, but if Derby County beat Luton in the early kick-off on Friday, that four-point gap will be killer for the Bluebirds.

Position	Team	Played MP	Won W	Drawn D	Lost L	For GF	Against GA	Diff GD	Points Pts
19	PortsmouthPortsmouth	42	12	10	20	50	66	-16	46
20	Hull CityHull City	42	11	12	19	41	50	-9	45
21	DerbyDerby	42	11	10	21	44	54	-10	43
22	CardiffCardiff	42	9	15	18	45	66	-21	42
23	LutonLuton	42	10	10	22	37	63	-26	40
24	PlymouthPlymouth	42	9	13	20	44	82	-38	40

Warnock found a way to succeed at Cardiff in the past, and he’s performed miracles at other clubs in relegation dogfights, but he needs more than three games to work his magic, surely.

It all comes down to this huge game on Friday, against a Sheffield United team desperate to get back on track after three straight defeats. Lose that one at Bramall Lane, and Cardiff will be in big trouble no matter who is in charge.