Cardiff close to appointing third manager of season – much loved player to become assistant

Cardiff City are close to appointing Sabri Lamouchi as their third manager of season – with much loved player Sol Bamba to become assistant.

That is according to WalesOnline, with the Bluebirds, who sit 21st in the Championship table with 29 points from 28 games played, without a permanent manager since Mark Hudson, being axed almost two weeks ago.

Although there were many applicants to the club, they narrowed it down to a few, said to be Lamouchi, Valerien, and another unnamed manager were actively being spoken to.

EXCL: Cardiff closing in on a deal to make Sabri Lamouchi manager. I am told deal would include bringing in club legend Sol Bamba as his assistant.

Bamba worked under Lamouchi during the latter’s time in charge of Ivory Coast.

Story here #CCFC #Bluebirds https://t.co/gVUUpYnkK0

— Glen Williams (@GlenWilliams12) January 26, 2023

The Cardiff hierarchy are looking set to bring in the former Nottingham Forest manager Lamouchi. Proceedings have quickly escalated over the past few days and this might finally be an exciting appointment to give everyone a morale boost they so desperately needed.

What is even better, it’s believed that Bamba, the club legend, would be named his assistant if a deal is reached. Lamouchi was in charge of Ivory Coast’s national team from 2012 to 2014.

After his last stint with Middlesbrough, Bamba has moved into coaching. Lamouchi and Bamba were both recently considered for jobs in France and Turkey.

51 year old Lamouchi is a former France international, who also managed Al-Duhail in Qatar. However, he will be more well-known following his time in the dugout at Nottingham Forest in the 2019/20 season.

Lamouchi managed Forest for just that single campaign. He had them in the play-offs throughout the season. However, after a dramatic finale, Cardiff and Swansea climbed above them and knocked them out of the top six, it was his last full season as Forest’s manager. In October 2021, he was relieved from his duties.

He was also a French top flight manager with Rennes, clinching a fifth place finish in Ligue 1 before he took over at City Ground.

Cardiff are hoping that by appointing the manager, and getting new players in before transfer window closes, the club will be able to push out of the relegation zone.

Signings are expected to be completed before Tuesday when the team takes on Luton Town.

Cardiff want to increase their options at the top of the pitch by adding at least two more players. It has also been suggested that left-back be considered. Time will tell.

This is what Twitter users said as Cardiff get close to appointing their third manager of season – with a much loved player to become the assistant…

@BristolOli: Thoughts and prayers with them both

@GarethJD: He’ll be a great appointment for you. We loved him at #NFFC had he been properly backed in the Jan 2020 transfer window and had covid not disrupted that season, he’d have almost certainly got us to the play offs that season

@ashbashforest: Loved Lamouchi. Top man

@p78w: This would be good. Experience, did well at Forest and we know that Bamba was a massive character in the dressing room.

@Phillip92336834: Thank God Well happy with this appointment and bamba once a blue bird always a blue bird

@glynster61: This would be AMAZING if it comes off. Hope it’s a realistic proposition and not a smokescreen from the board, to deflect the criticism for the apparent lack of progress

@jaleo52: Fair play Cardiff, Fantastic manager, had our lot running through brick walks for him until something back stage happened and it all went to shit, Wouldn’t be surprised if he tried to sign thiago Silva and Yuri riberio for you as well, loved them

@dzyb9: The football probably won’t be great but you’ve had Warnock as manager, so that’s a non issue. That said, he’s a good manager and a great bloke who says it how it is and you can’t help but like.

@Jensen_CCFC: Get the fuck in

@rdzcymru: FINALLY A FUCKING MANAGER

@JamesCRoberts94: Fucking yes, hope he signs with 4 loan players alongside him 😂

@SimpsonsNffc: Really pleased to see Sabri getting another crack at the Championship. Hope it works out for him.

@BluebirdsPast: Still think there’s going to be something that’ll bite us on the arse on this, it seems far too sensible and appropriate for what we need.

@NFFCAlex: Will always love Sabri. Ended in tears but that team was special. Shithousery of the finest order with some magic sprinkled in from Cashy, Lolley and Silva. Viva lamouchi x

@nffcspares: #CCFC could do a lot worse. Had things been different, i.e. no pandemic etc, I think things could’ve been slightly different. Best of luck to him.

@LeonBissmire: That is 1 hell of a pairing

@henrysaye: This is really good news, BUT it should not have taken 12 days.

@CianLlewelyn: Give it a month and Sol Bamba will be the manager with probably Paddy Kenny as his assistant

@etw04: Hope this is true get it over the line Cardiff 🔵🔵🔵

@IanBurnell27: Finally, personally would preferred Smith or Ismael but least looks like we are not sitting on our hands any longer and getting someone in who’s worked in this league

@benpearce__: Would be a great appointment especially with Sol as number 2 🤷🏽‍♂️

@OwenG_CCFC:
🗂️ Drafts
🗂️ October 2023
🗂️ We’re pleased to confirm that following an interim spell in charge, Sol Bamba has been appointed Cardiff City First Team Manager on a contract until the end of the 2023/24 season.

@DCopey98: And with one tweet, Glen Williams has single handily boosted my morale by a country mil! Good appointment going by the feedback I’ve had from Forest fans but the big one for me there might be bringing back Sol as assistant! Could be they key to boosting us up the table! #CCFC

@JamieBluebird: Glen Williams delivering the goods again, call you the postman mate as you always deliver when we need it most 😎

@djangovevans: I said i like ittttt, you know i like it a lottt

@Caerphillyblue: If this is true then credit where its due to the Club, that is about as good as we couldve realistically expected, looking at pretty much every angle of the appointment. Challenge for the board will be to create an environment where he can produce his best work 🥴

@Supersmithy95: He stopped the entire championship, he beat cancer, he pocketed Ronaldo. If he helps keep this utter shit show in the championship I think Sol Bamba for PM is the only answer

@GethinWilliamss: Well it’s the only moderately decent thing the club has done in the past god knows how long, although it hasn’t been confirmed by CCFC yet so I wouldn’t yet write off an appointment of a manager from the Welsh Premier League and a man who owns a corner shop as his assistant.