Cardiff City should have one eye on potential Luton Town, Rob Edwards developments: View | OneFootball

Cardiff City should be keeping close tabs on Kenilworth Road...

Cardiff City are currently undertaking a diligent managerial search following the dismissal of Erol Bulut, although they may just find their man in the form of Rob Edwards.

The Bluebirds now find themselves hunting for their 12th permanent managerial hire in just 14 years, with Bulut becoming the latest exit after he received his marching orders six matches into the new 2024/25 Championship campaign.

Five of those encounters had resulted in defeat for the Turk, who had penned a two-year contract only months earlier, and a turgid 2-0 home loss to promotion hopefuls Leeds United last weekend proved the conclusion of his time at Cardiff.

First-team coach Omer Riza is standing in for the time being and is expected to hold his position until the international break, which will commence following Cardiff's Severnside Derby trip to Bristol City on Sunday afternoon.

Cardiff, who continued their losing streak by receiving a 4-1 hammering at Hull City over the weekend, are understood to be in little rush to make a fresh appointment, with an intricate recruitment process being heeded. The club have consulted a European football agency alongside two experienced and former unnamed bosses to prepare recommendations.

Make no mistake about it, Cardiff's next appointment is crucial.

At the time of writing, the Bluebirds are rooted to the foot of the division by a concerning margin after just seven games, six of which have ended in defeat. Indeed, rejuvenated frontman Callum Robinson has accounted for the only two goals scored by his side, who are already cut adrift by four points and have let in 17 at the other end, too.

However, they could well opt to look to Luton Town despite the Hatters' own underperformance after suffering relegation from the Premier League last time out.

Rob Edwards' start to the 24/25 season at Luton Town

Luton were widely tipped to be competing for promotion, having provided a solid account in the Premier League. They were relegated, of course, but both Luton and Edwards received plaudits for remaining competitive in spite of limited resources and the odds being stacked firmly against their favour.

Hatters boss Edwards guided the club to a historic, and unprecedented, first Premier League promotion two seasons ago, where they defeated Coventry City on penalties in the 2022/23 play-off final. The expectation heading into the current campaign was far from unfounded, although it has not exactly transpired either.

Luton have endured a largely miserable start to the season, winning just two matches to date and sitting 19th in the table - a far cry from promotion contention, it must be said.

Their 3-1 defeat at the hands of Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle has prompted inevitable concern among supporters, many of whom are now beginning to cast doubt over Edwards' immediate future in Bedfordshire. The former Watford boss still has fans in his corner, but the tide is evidently turning and it can often prove difficult to fight against that.

In contrast to Watford, Luton often hand ample time for managers to turn around a poor spell and that patient line of thinking may just buy Edwards some time. However, there is little escaping that patience simply has to run out at some stage, a scenario which you can imagine will come into play if he fails to arrest their failing fortunes.

Cardiff City should monitor Rob Edwards, Luton Town situation with intent

The Bluebirds are refraining from rushing into sourcing a replacement, and their own willingness to afford time - albeit not with the managers they have, rightly or wrongly - should surely see Edwards appear on the club's recruitment radar.

At his best, Edwards makes his teams extremely hard to break down. Diligent out of possession with a strong defensive structure and high pressers when necessary, Luton were a nightmare to face in their promotion season. Then, only runaway champions Burnley conceded fewer goals than both their total of 35.

By winning the ball back quickly through dogged midfield intervention, Luton were able to utilise quick transitions and hurt teams on the counter-attack through their marauding wing-backs - James Bree and former City loanee Alfie Doughty at the time.

Cardiff are sorely lacking in pace and attacking intent, although those issues would doubtless receive action from a manager who tends to deploy a dynamic and somewhat direct brand of football.

It is not always pretty on the eye, so to speak, but prior to this season, Luton have been far from an ugly watch either. We have seen just how expansive they can be in possession, and they do not look to dominate for the sake of it.

Of course, the interminable sideways-and-backward brand at the Cardiff City Stadium has been a real and rightful source of frustration among supporters, who are desperate to see their side running at opponents, pinning them back and moving the ball with speed and intent.

The real challenge would be the battle of persuasion with Edwards. The vacancy has been branded as a hard sell, and that sentiment does hold weight given the nature of the uphill task that will meet whoever takes the job, the question marks surrounding the involvement, support and footballing nous at boardroom level and the misguided assembling of the playing squad.

Individually, it is not a squad that should find itself staring down the barrel of relegation. However, despite being laden with both big names and young, talented up-and-comers such as Rubin Colwill and Alex Robertson, it has been poorly assembled.

Assessing Cardiff's summer transfer window, you could quite reasonably argue that the club simply signed high-profile and available players without a strategy of how they would fit into the side, how their skillset answers problems and how they would accumulate for a progressive and efficient tactical dynamic.

The deficit of pace and goals, two key staples of Edwards' prior success at Luton, could make it even more difficult to convince him in the event of any potential sacking. However, financial support would likely be forthcoming from Tan if nothing else, and it is a squad with plenty of individual talent - just one in need of strategy, assembly, and revitalisation.

We are also talking about a capital city club, one of undoubted potential, fair size and with a strong existing fanbase and an even larger catchment area to tap into.

Though not the most pertinent example, Cardiff are somewhat symbolic of a sleeping giant. That notion is realised within the game and it is likely a key reason why so many managers jump at the job.

Edwards may not be sacked at all, and even if he is, there are no guarantees he would take the role. Cardiff could make a new appointment before that day comes, too.

There are naturally many moving parts at play, but in the case of Edwards, City supporters will surely hope they all fall into place and Cardiff could live to regret not keeping tabs on how events unfold at the very least.