Manchester City EDS boss Brian Barry-Murphy touted as next manager of Cardiff City

Manchester City EDS (Elite Development Squad) manager Brian Barry-Murphy has been linked with the managerial vacancy at Cardiff City.

The Championship club parted company with Mick McCarthy after a wretched run of form and have now begun the process of looking for his replacement.

A whole host of names have been linked with the job and one name that has come out of the blue is Barry-Murphy.

A report from WalesOnline says that the City coach is under consideration, with an emphasis on recruiting a young manager and he is a name that fits the bill.

Barry-Murphy is just starting out in management and has only been with City since July 2021. Before taking charge of the EDS squad, a team made up mainly of Under-23s players, the Irishman was manager of nearby Rochdale.

However, given how he has only been in the job for a few months, a departure from City may seem unlikely, especially with Cardiff embroiled in a relegation battle while his current side are firing on all cylinders.

His young City side are top of Premier League 2 right now after six wins, two draws and one defeat, with that loss coming on Saturday against Tottenham Hotspur.

Should he hold off from a return to senior management, there are also other names with City connections.

Also under consideration is former Citizens winger Craig Bellamy, who spent a season-and-a-half with the club, before joining the Bluebirds on a season-long loan.

Bellamy has most recently been working in Belgium, working alongside City legend Vincent Kompany at Anderlecht.

Another name is Mark Bowen, who worked under Mark Hughes as assistant manager from 2008 to 2009.

Bowen had mainly been assistant to Hughes throughout his career but was Head Coach at Reading for a season before being let go last year.

Could Barry-Murphy leave then?

The EDS squad isn’t just to develop players such as academy products Cole Palmer, but it is also to improve the coaching skills of their managers.

Patrick Viera for example was in charge of the development side for three years and later moved to City Football Group side New York City, before earning the job at French outfit Nice. Viera is now back in the Premier League with Crystal Palace.

Barry-Murphy’s predecessor Enzo Maresca, is also in senior level management now, managing Parma in the second tier of Italian football.

Maresca was only at the club for a season but delivered their first PL2 title, which attracted interest from other teams.

He saw the season out however and now it is important Barry-Murphy does that, as City view him highly and actually wanted him a year before his appointment.

From a City standpoint, the players love working with Barry-Murphy, earlier this month goalkeeper Mikki Van Sas hailed him as a ‘brilliant coach’ on the official club website.

For the rapport that he has built up with these players and the short duration he has spent in the role, it seems unlikely that a departure from City will happen.