Erol Bulut
Full nameErol Bulut
Height6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Birth date30 January 1975 (age 51)
Birth placeBad Schwalbach, West Germany
PositionLeft wing-back
Youthyears 11992–1994
Youthclubs 1Eintracht Frankfurt
Years 11992–1995
Clubs 1Eintracht Frankfurt
Caps 19
Goals 10
Years 21995–1999
Clubs 2Fenerbahçe
Caps 2110
Goals 210
Years 31999–2001
Clubs 3Eintracht Frankfurt
Caps 37
Goals 30
Years 41999–2000
Clubs 4→ Trabzonspor (loan)
Caps 422
Goals 40
Years 52001
Clubs 5→ Adanaspor (loan)
Caps 59
Goals 53
Years 62001–2003
Clubs 6Panionios
Caps 639
Goals 64
Years 72003–2004
Clubs 7Bursaspor
Caps 717
Goals 71
Years 82004–2005
Clubs 81860 Munich
Caps 810
Goals 81
Years 92005–2007
Clubs 9Olympiacos
Caps 924
Goals 92
Years 102007–2009
Clubs 10Metalurh Donetsk
Caps 1018
Goals 101
Years 112009–2010
Clubs 11Olympiacos Volos
Caps 1122
Goals 111
Years 122011–2012
Clubs 12OFI
Caps 1240
Goals 120
Years 132012
Clubs 13Veria
Caps 1312
Goals 130
Totalcaps310
Totalgoals23
Nationalyears 11994–1997
Nationalteam 1Turkey U21
Nationalcaps 118
Nationalgoals 10
Manageryears 12017–2019
Managerclubs 1Yeni Malatyaspor
Manageryears 22019–2020
Managerclubs 2Alanyaspor
Manageryears 32020–2021
Managerclubs 3Fenerbahçe
Manageryears 42021–2023
Managerclubs 4Gaziantep
Manageryears 62023–2024
Managerclubs 6Cardiff City
Manageryears 72025
Managerclubs 7Antalyaspor

Erol Bulut (eˈɾoɫ buˈɫut; born 30 January 1975) is a Turkish professional football manager and former player, who last coached Süper Lig club Antalyaspor.

Club career

Football

Born in Bad Schwalbach, West Germany, During his career as a football player, Erol Bulut achieved notable successes. He represented Turkey in the under-21 international level. His journey began with various German clubs in his youth. In 1995, he transferred from Eintracht Frankfurt to Fenerbahçe in Turkey, where he secured the Süper Lig title in the following season. Afterward, he returned to Eintracht Frankfurt briefly in 1999 before mainly playing on loan for Turkish clubs.

Bulut continued his career trajectory, moving between various clubs. He returned to Turkey in 2003 with Bursaspor, followed by a stint at 1860 Munich in Germany. His move to Greece's Olympiacos in 2005 proved fruitful, as he won the Super League Greece and Greek Football Cup in his initial year. His contract was terminated during the second season. After subsequent trials at European clubs, he played for Ukraine's Metalurh Donetsk in 2007. From 2008–09, he joined Greece's second division club Olympiacos Volos, eventually moving to OFI in January 2011 and securing promotion to the Super League.

Bulut's playing career concluded after a second promotion with Veria in the summer of 2012. He underwent trial periods at clubs like Stoke City, Rangers, and Newcastle United.[1][2][3]

Futsal

Bulut played futsal and became a member of the Turkey national futsal team in the UEFA Futsal Championship.[4]

Managerial career

Bulut's coaching journey began in October 2012 as a co-assistant at Kartalspor. He continued in the same role at Yeni Malatyaspor, Elazığspor, and İstanbul Başakşehir.

In September 2017, he became a head coach for the first time at Yeni Malatyaspor, a newly promoted team, successfully ensuring their place in the top-tier league. In the subsequent 2018/19 season, he guided the Anatolian club to the semi-finals of the Turkish Cup, where they were eliminated by eventual winners Galatasaray. In late April 2019, Bulut resigned with five matchdays remaining in the season.

During the 2019–20 season, he took on the role of head coach at Alanyaspor, a prominent Turkish top-tier club. Under his leadership, the team secured a fifth-place league finish and reached the Turkish Cup final. This accomplishment marked the club's first qualification for the Europa League qualification rounds.

In the following season 2020–21, Bulut returned to his initial professional playing club, Fenerbahçe, to assume the position of head coach. However, in March 2021, the club and Bulut decided to part ways. Subsequently, in May 2021, Bulut signed a three-year contract with Gaziantep, another Turkish top-tier club. However, they parted ways in January 2023.

On 3 June 2023, Bulut was appointed manager of Championship club Cardiff City.[5] During his time at the club, he led Cardiff City to 3 derby victories, including a 2-0 win at the Cardiff City Stadium against fierce South Wales rivals Swansea City. On 4 June 2024, he signed a new two-year contract extension.[6] However, he was sacked as manager on 22nd September 2024 following just 1 point from 6 games at the start of the 2024-25 season.[7]

Managerial statistics

<section begin=update />[8]<section end=update />

TeamFromToRecord
GWDLWin %
Yeni Malatyaspor1 October 201725 April 2019
Alanyaspor17 August 20193 August 2020
Fenerbahçe5 August 202025 March 2021<section begin=stats /> <section end=stats />
Gaziantep20 May 202127 January 2023
Cardiff City3 June 202322 September 2024
Antalyaspor13 October 2025Present
Career totals

Honours

Player

Fenerbahçe

Olympiacos

Olympiacos Volos

References

  1. ^ "Stoke City 2 Coventry City 0". Stoke City Official Site. 22 August 2007. Archived from the original on 22 May 2008. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  2. ^ "Rangers extend Bulut trial period". BBC Sport. 4 May 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  3. ^ "Newcastle United Hand Trial To Olympiakos' Turkish Left-Back Erol Bulut". Premiership Latest. 4 April 2007. Archived from the original on 14 July 2007. Retrieved 22 August 2007.
  4. ^ "UEFA Futsal Championship". UEFA. Archived from the original on 22 March 2009. Retrieved 7 April 2012.
  5. ^ "Erol Bulut appointed as First Team Manager". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk. 3 June 2023. Retrieved 4 June 2023.
  6. ^ "Erol signs City contract extension". www.cardiffcityfc.co.uk. 4 June 2024. Retrieved 4 June 2024.
  7. ^ "Η Κάρντιφ απέλυσε τον Ερόλ Μπουλούτ" (in Greek). www.sport24.gr. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
  8. ^