The Barry-Murphy Reset: How Cardiff City Found Belief Again

Cardiff City entered the summer of 2025 at their lowest ebb in more than two decades. Relegated from the Championship after finishing rock bottom, it was a campaign that unravelled into short fixes, reactive decision making and a total loss of belief.

Three managers took charge across a nightmare season. Erol Bulut was dismissed after six league games following Cardiff’s worst start to a campaign in 94 years. Interim boss Omer Riza oversaw a small uptick in results but left the club in the relegation zone with three games remaining. Then came the final roll of the dice as Welsh footballing icon and Cardiff player Aaron Ramsey was handed the reins for the final three fixtures in a desperate attempt to maintain their Championship status.

In truth, relegation felt inevitable. Since coming down from the Premier League in 2018/19, Cardiff had continually slipped down the division. The club had seven permanent managers in six seasons, and their league position worsened every season except 2023/24.

They became caught in a cycle of constant firefighting and lost their sense of identity, with fans growing apathetic towards their own club. Last season was simply when they were finally exposed.

The drop into League One marked the Bluebirds’ first spell in the third tier for 22 years. With uncertainty surrounding ownership, finances and long-term direction, the despair amongst supporters was evident.

Therefore, when Cardiff turned to Brian Barry-Murphy in June, appointing the 47-year-old former Manchester City academy coach in only his second senior managerial role, it was more than another appointment. It was a gamble to instil an identity, integrate youth and build a connected future.

In recent days, I reached out to a few well-known Cardiff City supporters on X to gauge their thoughts on Barry-Murphy's tenure thus far, their initial reactions to his appointment, and a grading of him for his efforts also.

A Risk Few Were Sure About

Barry-Murphy's appointment at Cardiff divided opinion amongst the fanbase. For some, it symbolised hope and a long-overdue arrival of a modern-thinking coach. For others, it felt like another risky, inexperienced experiment at a club that had lost its way.

Tim Wegener (@timcwegener), a long-time City fan, admitted his initial reaction was underwhelming. “I was a bit disappointed we didn’t get Nathan Jones or Aaron Ramsey,” he said. “However, I’m always up for a bit of a story! I kept an open mind and was happy to give BBM a chance.”

The sceptical optimism was shared by many. Evan (@diffanalysis) described the appointment as “a huge risk,” but one suited to the young core of a Cardiff squad being assembled. “I’d seen parts of his work with Manchester City’s EDS side,” he explained. “The way he facilitated younger, technical players looked really positive. I just didn’t expect the transformation here to be so sudden!”

Others had been calling for the Irishman months before his arrival. Si (@Si1927), owner of ACE Nation Media (@ACEcast_Nation) and CCFC World (@CCFCWorld), revealed he said this in videos on his channel dating back to September 2024. “I said Cardiff should bring BBM into the club at all costs. His work with the young players was exactly what we needed. When he got the job, I was ecstatic,” he said.

Gareth Dunning (@Gzone77) admitted he didn’t know who Brian Barry-Murphy was ahead of his appointment. “I researched him, and as always, was willing to get behind a manager. I was optimistic that he could work with our young players, but at the same time, nervous that a giant and difficult club like Cardiff City could swallow him up, given his lack of experience.”

Fans’ reactions ranged from cautious optimism to genuine concern. Henry Saye (@henrysaye) feared the enormity of the club could overwhelm a man entering just his second senior role in football management. “I thought he would be a lamb to the slaughter,” he admitted. “We’d become an insane asylum of bad decisions, and he was third choice behind Nathan Jones and Aaron Ramsey in my mind.”

The uncertainty from supporters like Henry was understandable. Cardiff were relegated in 24th place, financially constrained and about to enter unfamiliar territory in a division they last competed in during the 2002/03 promotion season. Expectations for some were naturally cautious.

Resetting Expectations in League One

For a club of Cardiff’s size, a return to the Championship at the first attempt felt non-negotiable. However, like many big clubs before them, it isn’t always straightforward. The chaos of last season meant few supporters were willing to make bold predictions straight away.

“Given the turmoil of last season, I would have been happy with a top-six finish,” Tim admitted.

Evan felt the quality of the squad would eventually tell. “You’re not going to be mid-table in League One with Rubin Colwill pulling the strings,” he claimed. “There are Championship-level players in the squad whose ability hadn’t just disappeared. Though I do think it was Cardiff’s time for relegation, I had hope, within reason, that it would be a positive season ahead of us.”

Si’s confidence stemmed from the strong wave of Cardiff City youth players breaking into the first team. “We had lads like Ronan Kpakio, Dylan Lawlor and Joel Colwill ready for first team football with us,” he said. “Add into that the likes of Rubin Colwill, Yousef Salech, Alex Robertson and Will Fish, it felt like the club finally had a plan.”

Gareth added his straightforward expectations, “To see us progress some more of the youth players and at the same time improve the ones who were already in the first team squad,” he stated.

Henry viewed promotion as an obligation rather than hope. “We had to go up,” he said. “Revenue had dropped, the training ground was paused, and with the fire sale in the summer, League One players don’t generate big transfer fees.”

The Barry-Murphy Effect

Since the 47-year-old arrived at the club, few could have envisaged the transformation happening so quickly.

Cardiff currently sit top of League One, six points clear of third-placed Bradford in the automatic promotion race while embarking on a remarkable EFL Cup run. The Bluebirds reached the quarter-finals before narrowly losing to World Club Champions Chelsea at the Cardiff City Stadium.

For supporters, the change has been unquestionable. “BBM’s impact so far has been enormous,” Tim said. “He’s completely overhauled our style of play and aligned it with how our age-group sides operate. His rotation and data-led approach has protected young players and allowed others to flourish.”

Barry-Murphy's Cardiff side are aggressive out of possession and a joy to watch on the ball. It is a stark contrast to the pragmatic, one-dimensional football of recent years. Evan described the current philosophy as “possession with purpose.”

“It’s about tiring opponents, exploiting spaces and demanding movement,” he explained. “The demands are strict, on and off the ball, but the freedom he gives young players is unbelievable. You won’t find many clubs in the EFL trusting youth like this.”

Si shared the same sentiment. “It’s night and day to anything we’ve ever seen,” he claimed. “There’s clear structure and clear patterns, but also flexibility. He adapts game-to-game, and this young group is learning every week.”

Gareth highlighted the manager’s careful integration of young players into the first team. “It’s been incredible given the limited signings. He’s been excellent at managing minutes, giving youngsters opportunities but also knowing when to slot them in and out,” he said.

Even the more cautious voices amongst the fanbase have been impressed. “It is League One, so perspective matters,” Henry noted. “But players like Ryan Wintle, Chris Willock and Calum Chambers have rediscovered themselves, and the development of Lawlor, Joel and Kpakio is obvious.”

The Moment Belief Arrived

Incredibly, for some supporters, the belief that Barry-Murphy was the right appointment arrived before competitive league action had even begun. Evan pointed to a pre-season 2-2 draw with QPR, just 37 days after the Irishman took charge.

“I didn’t care about the result,” he said. “The pressing, counter-pressing, the use of half-spaces, Rubin Colwill was given freedom to roam. That is when I started believing!”

For Si, belief arrived in the first league game, a 2-1 home victory over Peterborough United. The team selection embodied everything Barry-Murphy had promised. Ten Cardiff academy graduates were named in the squad, seven started, with an average age of 22.5, the youngest Cardiff side put out this century.

“Seeing Matthew Turner debut in goal, Kpakio starting, Rubin captaining the side, it told us everything about BBM’s bravery,” Si said.

Gareth’s belief came during a tough run of back-to-back away wins earlier in the season. “We’d seen the possession-based, silky football, but after getting beaten up a little at Port Vale, most expected Luton and Wimbledon to be too strong physically for us. It didn’t happen, we were excellent and showed a different side to our game.

Others highlighted different battles that this young group had to overcome. Tim referenced a 1-0 away victory against Stevenage, where Cardiff stood up to a direct, experienced side in a typical third-tier contest.

Henry instead looked to statement performances in the run to the EFL Cup quarter-finals. “Wrexham away and Chelsea at home showed who we are,” he claimed. “Teams try to stop us playing, but once we score first, it kills games.”

Grading the Rebuild

Despite the optimism, supporters have remained grounded, with one of the five willing to hand out a perfect grade so far. Even Barry-Murphy himself has admitted that both he and his squad still have room for improvement.

“I’d say an A, there’s more to come,” Tim said. “We’ve had a few disappointments and dropped points in games we shouldn’t have. But there’s still more to come.”

Evan agreed that an A felt fair. “Despite the amount of praise I have for him, there’s been games where we’ve struggled tactically,” he admitted.

“But he’s a hugely positive figure in what was a dark period as a supporter. It feels like we’ve found the answer again. For how long? Who knows, I’m just enjoying this,” he concluded.

Si opted for a cautious B+, stating that, “To give an A or A+, we’d need to be clear at the top. But given our recent history, I can live with small tweaks and mistakes.

Gareth handed out the highest praise of all. “It has to be an A* given the circumstances,” he claimed. “Sure, we could be more clinical, stronger in defence, and improve our away form, but that’s being picky. We’re top of the league, playing an entertaining brand of football with plenty of goals, and let’s not forget a decent cup run. All of this with a core of Welsh young players!”

Henry was equally emphatic in his assessment. “All of our success is down to BBM, so it’s an A,” he stated. “He has achieved this with limited funds.”

A Club Reconnected

In a summer defined by uncertainty, Cardiff City did not simply appoint a new manager, they chose a completely different direction for the club.

Brian Barry-Murphy has restored an identity, reconnected Cardiff with its academy pathway and flipped the switch amongst supporters from apathy to genuine hope and belief once again.

Wherever this journey ends up, Cardiff feel recognisable once more. After years of drifting, the club finally looks like it knows who it is again, and for a side that had lost its sense of self, that may prove to be Barry-Murphy's most impressive achievement of all.