Erol Bulut has revealed that Cardiff City's target at the start of the season was to stay in the Championship after many suggested the club would be in another relegation fight.
Cardiff currently sit in 11th place in the standings, 10 places higher than their 21st-placed finish last season, which saw them narrowly avoid relegation.
Things have been much more positive this year with the Bluebirds winning 19 games – more than any team outside the top six, alongside Hull City. Taking a broad overview of the season, Bulut rightly expressed his satisfaction with regards to the job he and his staff had done this term.
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"The target at the start of the season was only to keep (in) the league. All of us did a great job," the manager said. “We have been close to the play-offs, we could be even closer if we managed some games differently, but it's always about small details.
“We lost some games where we could have more points - but that's the game.”
Bulut's future remains undecided, however swathes of current and former players and managers of the club seem to be aligned in believing he deserves a new contract. Sign up to our Cardiff City newsletter here.
That decision ultimately lies with owner Vincent Tan, of course, but Bulut revealed that it is his feeling that the board are "happy" with the job he's done while at the helm.
He said: "I know from the chairman, Mehmet (Dalman), he is talking with the owner, they are happy with the situation and where we are right now."
He added: “From my side it’s clear. From the club’s side, it’s up to the board.
"It's not only about Erol Bulut signing a new contract, many other things are included. I think the board is thinking about all of the things and how to manage it - to come to me or not to come to me.”
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He went on to say that the situation would be clearer at the end of the season, stressing that his focus was on Cardiff’s two remaining games, against Middlesbrough and Rotherham United.
But Bulut did express disappointment at missing out on the play-offs, with Cardiff’s results ultimately being too inconsistent to mount a serious bid for the top six.
"At the end, some fans, players, myself are a little disappointed, we could be closer. But we forget where we took the team from to where we are right now," he said.
“This is a signal to say, 'Ah, this club can push this season now to go to the next level'."
