Former Watford coach joins Championship rivals

Former Watford first team coach Omer Riza has taken up a new challenge with one of the Hornets’ Championship rivals.

The Watford Observer reported earlier today that the 44-year-old was poised to join Cardiff City as first team coach and this has now been confirmed by the Bluebirds.

Riza has been without a club since he was sacked as assistant first-team coach following Valerien Ismael’s dismissal as Hornets boss in March.

The former Arsenal player had been promoted to first-team duties following Ismael’s arrival at Vicarage Road, having first joined the club in August 2018 as an Academy coach, initially working with the Under-16s before moving up to work with the Under-23s under Hayden Mullins.

When Mullins left the club, Riza stepped up to become lead coach of the Under-21s.

He also worked at the FA as England Under-17s assistant coach from 2019 to 2023 until he was promoted to the first-team staff at Watford.

Reports in Wales stated Cardiff boss Erol Bulut had been eager to strengthen his backroom team this summer after they finished 12th in the Championship last season, three places and six points above Watford.