Cardiff trial new hiring process in manager search

Cardiff City will trial a new process to appoint their next manager, by assembling a sub-committee – including former Swansea City sporting director Mark Allen – to lead a search they hope to complete by the end of May.

Relegated after finishing bottom of the Championship, Cardiff are preparing to play in the third tier next season for the first time since 2003.

They are looking for their ninth manager in four years after sacking Erol Bulut and Omer Riza during this campaign, with Aaron Ramsey taking charge of the final three games on a temporary basis.

Such turbulence on and off the field has prompted fierce criticism from fans, who have staged protests demanding that club owner Vincent Tan and the board leave.

Supporters and former players have questioned Tan's apparent reluctance to appoint a director of football or some kind of intermediary between the board and the management team.

In what appears to be a reaction to criticism of the board's lack of football knowledge, Cardiff will use a new sub-committee for their next managerial appointment, with "high" interest in the job according to chairman Mehmet Dalman.

Formed on a one-off basis for this recruitment process, the sub-committee will answer to the board and will feature Bluebirds head of academy Gavin Chesterfield, former Manchester City academy manager Allen and a member of the Wasserman agency.

"I think some of the criticism is fair, some of it is not fair. Overall, I would say I would welcome more knowledge on football," said Dalman.

"After all, this is a football club and the more people it has who understand football the better it is. We're striving towards that.

"We need a new manager and we've got to get it right. This is not one to take lightly if we are going to exploit the best of the talent we have.

"Personally, I'd like to see a proven manager who's done this before and knows how to get the best out of the young and the experienced players."

Previously, it has been Tan, Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo leading the managerial recruitment process.

That has led to mixed results. Cardiff have gone through 16 managers in 15 years under Tan and, despite twice being promoted to the Premier League, this season's drop to League One was the consequence of a third relegation battle in four seasons.

Dalman hopes the new approach can help the Bluebirds make an instant return to the Championship.

"In terms of process, we've recruited a lot of managers in the past and we've got some right, but got some wrong," he added.

"This time we can't take that risk so we're putting in place a process where we'll have globally-recognised sporting agents, Wasserman, working with us, not exclusively but they are driving the process of recommending potential managers to us.

"On the board level, we're creating a sub-committee on football, where two people will probably, but not necessarily, be appointed from the outside for the purpose of recruiting a manger. We are making an internal appointment from the academy who has experience in football.

"They [sub-committee] will run the first round of interviews and I'm envisaging 30-odd applicants and that will be distilled down to about a dozen, then half a dozen. Then it becomes a board interview process and a final recommendation to the owner."

Dalman would not be drawn on potential candidates, but hopes the process will be concluded quickly.

"I can't give you any names, but the interest is high. This is a big club, it's good to see it is attracting good names who are interested in taking on the challenge," he said.

"To be honest, there are too many names there for me and the board to distil and analyse and that's why this process will help us.

"We will end up with two or three buckets, if you like, one will be for an experienced manager who has done this before; a bright, upcoming manager who will give us a longer-term (option), and the club desperately needs that stability; and the third one is that we will look at some of the continental managers and go to a shortlist.

"We will then make a final decision, certainly within the next month, if not within the next two weeks."

Along with Tan and Choo, Dalman has faced stinging criticism from supporters at games and protests.

In a written statement to fans, Tan hit back at suggestions he does not care by insisting he watches every game and speaks to the manager before and after each one.

"I don't speak for Vincent Tan. What I can say is I think some of the criticism is overdone and unfair. This is an owner who has got this club promoted twice into the Premier League," Dalman said.

"He has injected a substantial amount of funds in the club. In his statement, it was clear to me he wants to bounce back. On the other hand, he has always said 'Everything is for sale at the right price - except for family'.

"As far as I am concerned, and I am having this discussion after a dialogue with him, I don't see anything else but his commitment to make sure we bounce back."

Asked about the criticism directed at himself, Dalman added: "Honestly, it's hurtful. I think people underestimate how challenging this job is. I am a non-exec here. I have chaired this club for 14 years and some of the remarks are too personal for me.

"But I am committed to making sure we do the right thing for the club. We have a financial interest in the club, but, honestly, that's secondary to me. We will do the best we can.

"Vincent, myself and Ken Choo, our chief executive, feel the pain a lot more than people imagine, not just financially but emotionally."