Cardiff City Appoint Aaron Ramsey as Assistant Manager in Bid to Avoid Relegation
In a shocking move, Cardiff City have announced the appointment of former Wales international Aaron Ramsey as assistant manager, as the club looks to avoid dropping into the third tier of English football for the first time since 2002. According to a report by the BBC, Ramsey, who has no frontline managerial experience, will work alongside current manager Riza to try and turn around the club’s fortunes.
Ramsey, who has 86 caps for Wales, has been tipped by Wales boss Craig Bellamy as someone who could work at a high level at the end of his playing career. The 31-year-old midfielder has had a decorated career, playing for Arsenal, Juventus, and Nice, and has won the FA Cup twice. He returned to his boyhood club Cardiff City in 2023, but his impact on the field has been limited due to injury.
The appointment of Ramsey comes after a poor run of form for Cardiff, who have not won in five games and are struggling to avoid relegation. The club sacked manager Erol Bulut after just six games in charge, and Riza was drafted in on a caretaker basis before being handed a contract until the end of the season in December. However, with fans calling for Riza to be removed after Friday’s 2-0 loss at Bramall Lane, the club has taken action in a late bid to avoid disaster.
The BBC reports that some members of the club hierarchy had considered a change in management last month, with former manager Neil Warnock considered as a replacement. However, Riza retained the support of owner Vincent Tan, and it is believed that Ramsey’s appointment is a bid to galvanise supporters ahead of the final games of the season.
Cardiff will hope that the appointment of Ramsey will bring a boost to the team, who face Oxford, West Bromwich Albion, and Norwich City in their remaining games. Ramsey had been ruled out from any playing involvement during the Championship run-in after having surgery on a hamstring injury sustained in defeat against Luton Town last month. However, he has worked at the club’s academy during his time back in south Wales and has also provided tactical analysis for Riza from games during a previous injury lay-off earlier in the season.
As BBC Sport notes, Ramsey became the club’s youngest ever player after breaking into the first-team at the age of 16 in 2007. His appointment as assistant manager is seen as a bid to bring a new level of enthusiasm and expertise to the team, and fans will be hoping that it will be enough to keep the club in the second tier.
The move is a significant one for Cardiff City, and the BBC reports that it is a bid to avoid relegation and ensure the club’s survival in the Championship. With the season drawing to a close, all eyes will be on Ramsey and Riza as they look to guide the team to safety.
