Omer Riza is still revelling in his role as Cardiff City interim boss but admits that the continuing uncertainty over the position of permanent manager is beginning to take its toll when “you don’t know what’s coming next”.
The 44-year-old took over after Erol Bulut was sacked on 22 September and has helped Cardiff rise off the foot of the Championship table thanks to a six-match unbeaten run that finally came to an end at Luton Town on Wednesday.
“Nothing has surprised me… I’ve loved every minute of it, I’ve known I can do it, I’m comfortable, but I suppose the level at which you have to perform for people to recognise that you’re good enough or not to do the job, maybe that surprised me a little bit,” Riza said.
“It’s in black and white what you’re achieving, you either win, you lose or you draw and your team play a certain way and you’re judged on that.
“Just in general I’ve enjoyed the whole thing, I just want to carry on, but it’s hard to carry on when you don’t know what’s coming next.”
So far the Cardiff board has remained quiet on the managerial plans for the club, with no indication given on whether Riza is meeting expectations or if a serious search is under way for a different permanent boss.
Riza added: “I have to continue doing what I’m doing, working hard. It would be nice that there was some sort of thing to show that what we’ve done so far over the past six or eight weeks has been good and positive.
“I think we’ve proved that – we’ve gone from one point to 15, I think we’re playing a good style of football. We’re winning games, although we won’t win all of them, I’ve said that [before].”
Cardiff’s unbeaten run came to an end with a 1-0 defeat at Luton Town on Wednesday, a result that leaves them 21st and still above the relegation places, albeit on goal difference only, and Riza is keen to be given the chance to build another good run.
“My contract is until the end of the season and I’ll continue to work hard. Between now and then, like players are in the shop window I suppose a coach is in the shop window as well,” he said.
“That’s the only way I can look at it that I’ll keep working hard. I love what I’m doing here, I love the club, I love the people, love the fans, I love everything I’ve done since I came here.
“At the same time I don’t have control of what my future is at the moment.
“If you win every game there’s not much that people can say, but to win every game is difficult. As soon as you lose a few games it gives the club the chance to say they want to bring someone else in… for me what’s important is I’m doing the right thing for the players and the club.”
Cardiff now host a Blackburn Rovers side on Saturday (12:30 GMT kick-off) who themselves lost on Wednesday night, going down 2-0 at home to Stoke City.
“It’s the same for all the teams, it’s a tight turnaround and all the teams have got their squads that they have to deal with, lots of minutes in lots of legs,” Riza said.
“It’s part and parcel of this league, that’s why everyone says it’s relentless, but we’re already working on what we’re going to do… and we’re going to attack the game like we want to win it.”
Cardiff expect to have Alex Robertson available against Blackburn after the midfielder missed the Luton trip and last weekend’s win over Norwich City with a hamstring problem.
Callum Robinson was withdrawn for the final 20 minutes against Luton as Riza continues to manage the Republic of Ireland striker’s ongoing Achilles problem, but he is expected to be fit to face Rovers.