‘Clueless’: Boss at Portsmouth rivals Cardiff City hits back at supporters as pressure intensifies
Omer Riza has hit back at Cardiff City fans as the pressure intensifies at Pompey’s relegation rivals.
And the head coach believes the club is divided as supporter-toxicity grows heading into a crucial Championship run-in.
Frustration and anger was clear to see at the Cardiff City Stadium on Saturday, with boos and chants of ‘you’re not fit to wear the shirt’ being heard after their 1-0 defeat to relegation rivals Stoke City. The late disappointment kept Cardiff 22nd in the table and one point from safety going into the final four games of the campaign.
However, the Bluebirds have won just one of their past eight league matches, while also suffering four successive losses on home soil.
This has seen the pressure ramp up on Riza and his men as they bid to maintain their six-year Championship status.
And the head coach has hit back at fan-frustration online - branding some supporters as ‘clueless’.
He told WalesOnline: ‘If there's going to be blame then it's got to be on me. I'm the manager of the team and I take full responsibility. I know how important it is. It's a failure on my part if we go down. I have standards, goals, ideas about where I feel I can take this club.
‘I have always been taught that what doesn't kill you makes you stronger. It's only going to make me better, stronger. I read all the comments from fans and unfortunately a lot of them are clueless. That's what I've got to learn. To come away from that side of it, so I can stay focused.
‘There are lot of good people out there and around the club and within the club. We've got to do this together.
‘No. No I don't (when asked if the club is united). I think the expectations are so high at this club. Cardiff is the capital of the country, it's a club that's been in the Premier League and is a club that wants to do well. The fans want to do well.
‘Sometimes you have to look at what it is and sometimes being able to say 'This is where we are at and this is what we need to do to improve' is key to being able to develop as a club, as people, as players. That's where we are wrong at the minute.
‘You already know the divides, I'm not going to spell them out. I think until that all comes together and there is an acceptance of what they are and we can all move forwards together, I don't think it will improve.’
Speculation grows over Omer Riza’s Cardiff future
The defeat to Stoke has seen speculation over Riza’s future in the Welsh capital intensify, with reports claiming Neil Warnock could make a sensational return to the Cardiff City Stadium to help their survival bid.
But the Bluebirds boss is adamant he remains the right man for the job as they bid to beat the drop to League One.
‘I haven’t been given assurances, but I’ve been given the job and until such a time I’m told differently I’ll continue to do my job to the best of my ability and that’s it. No one’s come out and said ‘you’re here until the end of the season’ – they’d be stupid to do that if they’ve got other things in their mind.
‘But that (rumours) has to come out to the media not to me. But I’m not concerned about the fact…if they (the board) feel someone could come in and save Cardiff from going down and do a better job than me, then I’m happy for that to happen.
‘I don’t believe that’s the case, I believe I’m the right person to do the job and that won’t change. If I felt I wasn’t the right person to do the job I would have said a long time ago I don’t feel I can do it and step away but that isn’t the case.’