Former Man City coach features - 3 Omer Riza replacements Cardiff City should consider | OneFootball

FLW takes a look at three managers Cardiff City should consider to replace Omer Riza next season.

After falling to defeat at the hands of promotion-chasing Sheffield United on Good Friday, Cardiff City opted to part ways with manager Omer Riza the following day.

It was announced around lunchtime on Easter Saturday that Riza had been relieved of his duties as the club's manager, and legendary midfielder Aaron Ramsey would be in the dugout for the final three games of the season.

The former Wales international faces a tall order to keep Cardiff in the Championship, however, as the Bluebirds sit in the relegation zone with three games to play, and could be playing League One football next season for the first time since 2002/03.

Former Leyton Orient boss Riza joined the Welsh club as part of the coaching staff under Erol Bulut in the summer of 2024, but took the job on an interim basis when the Turkish manager was sacked in September.

Following a decent interim spell, the 45-year-old was given the job permanently, on a contract until the end of the season. However, with three games to go and Cardiff under serious threat of relegation, Riza was sacked.

Despite Ramsey remaining in post for the rest of the season, we've looked at three managers that the Bluebirds should consider to fill the vacancy next season.

1 Brian Barry-Murphy

It's really quite a shock that Brian Barry-Murphy hasn't got a job as a head coach in the EFL.

The current Leicester City coach has been touted for the job at Huddersfield Town recently, but nothing has come of that thus far.

The 46-year-old took charge of over 100 games as Rochdale boss, but his real success came at Manchester City, where he was the manager of the prestigious club's Elite Development Squad for three years.

He led the young City side to two consecutive Premier League 2 titles, before departing in the summer of 2024. Now a coach at Leicester, you can't help but think the 46-year-old will want to try his hand at senior management again.

A highly-rated coach, as proven by recent interest, Barry-Murphy could be a real coup for Cardiff. His tactical nuance and excellence when developing youngsters could be a refreshing new chapter for the Bluebirds.

2 Aaron Ramsey

Of course, you must consider the interim for the permanent job, and Vincent Tan has shown he isn't afraid to do that with the permanent appointment of Riza.

Whilst that decision proved to be the wrong one, Cardiff will no doubt be assessing Ramsey as a potential candidate over these next three games.

The 34-year-old received his UEFA Pro License last September, and has previously spoken about his desire to get into management when his playing career is over.

Despite his lack of experience, if the Welshman keeps his side in the Championship, you'd think a permanent contract could be on the table.

Ramsey knows the club and the players, and coupled with his club legend status, that could make him a very popular appointment.

3 Rob Edwards

After departing Luton Town by mutual consent in January 2025, Rob Edwards has been out of work. This surprised many people, as despite its tough ending, his time at Kenilworth Road was, on the whole, very impressive.

The 42-year-old has worked his way up the English football ladder, starting off at Telford United in 2017 before going on to coach Wolverhampton Wanderers and England at youth level.

He then took Forest Green Rovers to League One for the first time in the club's history, which saw him head-hunted for the Watford job. Following a harsh sacking there, he was selected as the man to replace Nathan Jones by bitter rivals Luton, who he took to the Premier League.

The former Wales international needs a new project, and rebuilding Cardiff could be a great opportunity for him. Edwards is highly experienced at Championship level, so even if the Bluebirds do go down, they'll have a manager who is more than capable of taking them straight back up.