Dear Trust Member,
Manager Recruitment
It is a matter of considerable concern that there has been no formal communication from the club to fans in respect of where we are in appointing a new manager.
Since the season ended at Norwich on 3 May fans have learned via Wales Online that Sports Agency Wasserman had been engaged to assist in the recruitment process along with Mark Allen, a former Swansea City Sporting Director. Of course, at the Fans Advisory Board (FAB) meeting on 12 May these issues were discussed. However, as the Club did not publish the minutes until 23 May (11 days after the meeting and not the promised 48 hours) it was a bit late to be told the bare minimum that the process had already started (prior to 12 May) and that the end of May was the target for appointment which has now come and gone.
Looking at the news on the club website since the club statement regarding relegation on 29 April there has been no mention of manager recruitment. What appears to be an information vacuum is being filled with rumour, betting odds from bookmakers and social media and press speculation but nothing official from the club. Fans are very concerned about the appointment of a new manager in our new situation in League 1. Given the club’s poor handling of the manager’s position in 2024/25, getting it right for next season, set against a background of the promised root and branch review, is a bigger priority than ever.
Fans don’t expect confidential information on specifics of who, when and where that might compromise the process but at least letting them know officially where we are in the procedure and updating of timescales would go a long way to quelling concerns. Even a sentence or two from the club to say that the recruitment is proceeding but we do not want to jeopardise the process would be helpful. The club appears to be its own worst enemy in this respect and its silence only fuels negative speculation that impacts upon themselves.
The club have gone some way to filling the football expertise gap in appointing external consultants to assist in the recruitment process, however, it is reasonable to say that the fanbase still has reservations that Vincent Tan will embrace any recommendation that they may come up with and put in place a decision based on his own special kind of footballing expertise.
“We hear you” said the club in its statement of 29 April, well, we are not hearing you.
Cardiff City Supporters Trust Board