Cardiff are Favourites to go up/Neil Warnock believes

" Neil Warnock on Cardiff City "

Sep 13 2012


Neil Warnock has waded into the Cardiff City rebrand controversy by stating that for £10m backing he’d play in any colour he was told to.

Warnock brings his Leeds side to face Cardiff City on Saturday as Championship action resumes after the international break.

The vastly-experienced 63-year-old has started his first full season in charge at Elland Road in reasonably robust form.

Like Malky Mackay’s Bluebirds, Leeds have won two, drawn one and lost one of their opening four Championship games.


In the Welsh capital on Saturday, Cardiff will once more don their new red home kit.

Football purists have reacted angrily to the change, but Warnock takes a much more pragmatic view of the situation.

“If an owner said to me, here’s a £10m transfer kitty, I’ve got to be honest, I’d play in whatever they asked me to,” said Warnock.

“For that money I would send the players out in a yellow shirt with pink stripes and polka dots on it. No problem whatsoever.”

Down the years, Warnock has proved a master at getting teams promoted and will be looking to do the same now at Leeds.

He has gone up seven times with different teams, including twice to the Premier League with hometown club Sheffield United, and, most recently, QPR.

Despite his achievements at Loftus Road, however, he was shown the door by Rangers back in January before joining Leeds a month later.

Warnock is now trying to build another successful Championship side, but with the Yorkshire club’s future unclear, he maintains he is having to do it on a budget.

He admits he is jealous of the spending Mackay has indulged in during the summer.

The Bluebirds’ boss has spent close to £10m, money supplied by Vincent Tan off the back of the change in shirt colour.

And the Leeds boss insists the true indication that Mackay has spent wisely is the fact that he has brought in a lot of the players Warnock himself has signed down the years.

“Malky’s my favourite manager, he’s got a massive future ahead of him,” said Warnock.

“Do you know how I know he’s doing well? He signed half the same players I have down the years.

“Tommy Smith, Heidar Helguson, Matt Connolly, I even had Mark Hudson with me at Palace.

“I’ll tell you what if I’m not careful I’ll walk into the wrong dressing room on Saturday!”

And it is not just his own former players that Warnock is impressed by, there are a couple of other new Cardiff players he also covets.

Warnock added: “I would have loved to have signed Craig Noone and Nicky Maynard, but I just didn’t have the money.

“We’re skint really. There’s talk about a takeover here, but I don’t know right now what’s going on with it.

“So I think Malky has spent very wisely and good luck to him.

“For me, Cardiff are the favourites to go up. I look at Blackburn too. Look what they spent on one player and their wage bill is huge.

“There’s a little group of three or four going for the title and Cardiff are in that.

“It would be great for them as well with the fans they have. They’ve been so close in recent years too.”

Looking at Saturday’s clash, Warnock is expecting a difficult, but entertaining, game at the Cardiff City Stadium.

And, in true Warnock fashion, he insists the Bluebirds are favourites for the three points.

“We know it’s going to be tough in Cardiff, even more so than usual, and it’s always a real battle,” added Warnock.

“But I do think as well it could be a super game. Cardiff are favourites, certainly. If you look at the two teams on paper Cardiff should win it.

“But when you look at the games we’ve already played, on paper you would say we should have lost those too.

“It’s all about 11 against 11 and we know anything can happen. I’m looking forward to it.”



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he's class Warnock, if nothing else he knows how to get people biting

He has gone up seven times with different teams, including twice to the Premier League with hometown club Sheffield United, and, most recently, QPR.

Correct me if im wrong but he only took Sheff Utd up once??

he's class Warnock, if nothing else he knows how to get people biting

Your right he really knows how to play the game.
He is one of my favourite managers.

he's class Warnock, if nothing else he knows how to get people biting

Your right he really knows how to play the game.
He is one of my favourite managers.

GIVE HIM THE WELSH JOB!

Classic mind games, talking up the opposition.

Warnock knows what he's doing.

He has gone up seven times with different teams, including twice to the Premier League with hometown club Sheffield United, and, most recently, QPR.

Correct me if im wrong but he only took Sheff Utd up once??

Yes he only took Sheffield Utd up once.

Typical warnock - on Friday he`ll say how much he loves cardiff fans

Don't like him but he's the man to get us up !

he's class Warnock, if nothing else he knows how to get people biting

Your right he really knows how to play the game.
He is one of my favourite managers.

Always has a good thing to say about us. Has said many a good thing about city over the last few years. Would have been a cracking manager for us.

he's class Warnock, if nothing else he knows how to get people biting

Your right he really knows how to play the game.
He is one of my favourite managers.

Always has a good thing to say about us. Has said many a good thing about city over the last few years. Would have been a cracking manager for us.

He's in a win win situation.
If he wins he can say he beat the favorites.
If he loses he has lost to the best.

If Malky ever got sacked/left and Warnock was available I wouldn't mind him as manager, I love his passion for the game, it's a shame you don't see a lot of managers with his approach nowadays

he's class Warnock, if nothing else he knows how to get people biting

Your right he really knows how to play the game.
He is one of my favourite managers.

Always has a good thing to say about us. Has said many a good thing about city over the last few years. Would have been a cracking manager for us.

He's in a win win situation.
If he wins he can say he beat the favorites.
If he loses he has lost to the best.

True, but never slags city even when he's not playing them.

Would have done well a few years back with the everyone hates us attitude. Would have had the new stadium in a cracking atmosphere.

I agree same old mind games, but Malky is aware of him, and one step ahead of Warnock ! We are simply going to be too good for Leeds, Warnock can say what he likes !!

I agree same old mind games, but Malky is aware of him, and one step ahead of Warnock ! We are simply going to be too good for Leeds, Warnock can say what he likes !!

You could I hope regret those comms cos you lot said that last yr at your place ..

Both are good sides. Too tough to call for me.

Warnock is right, home advantage and a superior squad should see Cardiff as favourites - but we all know it's not that simple in the championship.

I agree same old mind games, but Malky is aware of him, and one step ahead of Warnock ! We are simply going to be too good for Leeds, Warnock can say what he likes !!

You could I hope regret those comms cos you lot said that last yr at your place ..

Marching on together, a man from Merthyr with a load of Yorkshiremen from England. No, hang on, you don't go to the matches, do you?

He has gone up seven times with different teams, including twice to the Premier League with hometown club Sheffield United, and, most recently, QPR.

Correct me if im wrong but he only took Sheff Utd up once??

If read correctly - you will see that it says including TWICE to the premier league - - with Sheffield United and QPR (Thats the twice - that it was meant to be seen as!)

If Leeds fail to go up he may get sacked.

If we fail to go up Malky may get sacked.

Would love Warnock here if that occurs however I would love Malky to take us up because he has put a lot of hard work into putting together his team that fits his plans.

Who`s biting ? Come to the back of 106 Canton ! You `ll see quite a few Merthyr boys up there ! If you go that is