Cardiff sack Riza as Wales’ Ramsey takes charge

After the Bluebirds parted ways with Omer Riza, Wales captain Aaron Ramsey will remain in charge of Cardiff City for the rest of the championship season.

After falling to Sheffield United, the Bluebirds were just one point off safety in the Championship relegation spots, Riza was informed of the decision on Saturday.

For the first time on Monday, Ramsey, 34, will take the place of the team’s opener against Oxford United at Cardiff City Stadium (15:00 BST).

Former Wales team-mate Chris Gunter, current Wales Under-19s manager, and Bluebirds midfielder Joe Ralls will assist him.

Ramsey has no prior managerial experience, but he has had coaching ambitions for some time and is being considered by Wales boss Craig Bellamy as a high-level player at the end of his professional career.

The 86-cap international will be the third player in the Cardiff dugout this season, which started with Erol Bulut as the club’s manager before being fired after only collecting one point from their first six games as the club endured its worst ever season.

Riza, a former Watford coach, was initially hired as a caretaker before being signed until the end of the season in December after returning from a successful summer.

However, Cardiff has become more and more under pressure as a result of his inability to get out of trouble. According to some in the club’s hierarchy, some members suggested a change last month, with former manager Neil Warnock being chosen as a replacement only for Riza to win the support of owner Vincent Tan.

The club have started playing in a late bid to avoid falling into the third tier for the first time since 2002 as a result of fans’ calls for Riza to be axed after Friday’s 2-0 defeat at Bramall Lane.

Cardiff will hope that supporters will be swayed by Ramsey’s appointment ahead of the final games against Oxford, West Bromwich Albion, and Norwich City. Ramsey is one of the club’s most decorated youth players.

After joining the club’s first team at the age of 16 in 2007, the midfielder moved to Premier League Arsenal, where he twice won the FA Cup, to become the club’s youngest ever player.

Following stints at Juventus and Nice, he made his return to his youth club in 2023, though his impact on the field was limited due to injury.

After having surgery on a hamstring injury suffered in the Championship match defeat against Luton Town last month, Ramsey was ruled out of all play.