"Welcome back Craig Noone"

'Welcome back' What Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock said to Craig Noone as dismal poor form ends

By Chris Watham

Sunday 12th February 2017


Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock has revealed how he told Craig Noone 'welcome back' after hailing his return to form.

Noone impressed at Elland Road as Cardiff City grabbed an eye-catching away win with a performance that the veteran manager claimed was the best of his time in South Wales.

The winger, 29, floated over a free-kick for Sean Morrison to grab a 53rd minute opener before Kenneth Zohore sealed the victory and Leeds' first home defeat since November.

And he helped lead a counter charge as Warnock's side pulled off the surprise win to move them 10 points clear of the bottom three and surely ending any worries of relegation with 15 games of the season to go.

It comes after Noone has struggled to impress Warnock, his start at Elland Road only his sixth since the veteran manager's appointment and only his second in three months.

But the Bluebirds boss praised his impact, saying: “Nooney had been poor for three weeks and he knows that – but he'd been exciting again this week in training. On Thursday I said to him: 'Welcome back'

“It's the best I've seen him and I had no hesitation playing him because he's flying.”


His set-piece delivery for the opener was his first assist of the season, but Warnock admitted the wideman was only on free-kick duties because Cardiff had been short of options.

Regular dead-ball specialist Peter Whittingham was dropped for the trip to South Yorkshire while Junior Hoilett was also on the bench after illness and Joe Ralls has struggled to convince with his deliveries.

And Warnock said: “It was a great free-kick but we really just let everyone have a go this week because there was no Whitts and Ralls has not been very good. We let three or four of them have a go; Kadeem couldn't reach, Junior had a nightmare and then was poorly the night before the game so it was down to Nooney. We told him to take them from everywhere!

“But it was a great free-kick – you dream of coming on to those from two or three yards out.”

Warnock also paid tribute to the efforts of Noone's fellow flier Kadeem Harris who escaped the axe because of Hoilett's illness, saying: “I might have given him a rest but fortunately he was a threat, he caused problems down that side and was even heading it off the line – he epitomised things because I thought we were fantastic in every department from one to 11.”

Warnock will now decide whether to freshen up his side ahead of Tuesday's trip to Derby, Steve McClaren's side currently eight points ahead of Cardiff in eighth.

“It's another tough game but if you had said before the two games we'd get three points I'd have been quite happy so we can go there now and have a go.”

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Oh his day he is a class none of us can say different I so much wanted him to have one more go as his performance against Wolves away last season proved what he can do plus he is such a nice and decent guy so much wanted him to have another go well done Noone

Hopefully its not a one off we all know how inconsistent he is.

We see his class every now and then unfortunately it's not frequent enough.

He showed it yesterday when we needed it so a big plus for me

We see his class every now and then unfortunately it's not frequent enough.

He showed it yesterday when we needed it so a big plus for me

Totally agree

Love the Warnock way, you can see he watches the players closely in training and picks the team based on this, and their performance in last game, no favourites, or players playing on reputation, as other managers have done. With this, the players know they have to play well and train well, or someone else gets your shirt. The way it should be

I think the one thing that maybe I kind of make an excuse for him but he's played on the wrong wing and I think if played on the left side we could see the best of him more.. I remember his first game v Wolves he was on the left and was a nightmare for the fullback all game.. against Bristol home he won the penalty on the left side same as Wolves home back in 2012.. I think when he is on the left we would see more of him.

Love the Warnock way, you can see he watches the players closely in training and picks the team based on this, and their performance in last game, no favourites, or players playing on reputation, as other managers have done. With this, the players know they have to play well and train well, or someone else gets your shirt. The way it should be

Absolutely. That's the difference between a quality manager and a mediocre one.

Love the Warnock way, you can see he watches the players closely in training and picks the team based on this, and their performance in last game, no favourites, or players playing on reputation, as other managers have done. With this, the players know they have to play well and train well, or someone else gets your shirt. The way it should be

Hoilett was ill. He wouldn't have played Noone if Junior was fit.

No I think he was saying kadeem would have been rested unless I've read it wrong

Love the Warnock way, you can see he watches the players closely in training and picks the team based on this, and their performance in last game, no favourites, or players playing on reputation, as other managers have done. With this, the players know they have to play well and train well, or someone else gets your shirt. The way it should be

Great spot. Over the years the manager favourite syndrome has cost us dearly. Dave Jones was a f**ker for it and recently as Russell Slade we were hampered by the bosses pets having an automatic selection route to the first XI.

Now it appears that do a shift in training and it will get noticed by the coaching staff. This is a much better way of doing things than just allowing players to stagnate and go through the motions because they know it doesn't matter what they do as they simply won't get picked.

Love the Warnock way, you can see he watches the players closely in training and picks the team based on this, and their performance in last game, no favourites, or players playing on reputation, as other managers have done. With this, the players know they have to play well and train well, or someone else gets your shirt. The way it should be

Exactly mate.

Love the Warnock way, you can see he watches the players closely in training and picks the team based on this, and their performance in last game, no favourites, or players playing on reputation, as other managers have done. With this, the players know they have to play well and train well, or someone else gets your shirt. The way it should be

Great spot. Over the years the manager favourite syndrome has cost us dearly. Dave Jones was a f**ker for it and recently as Russell Slade we were hampered by the bosses pets having an automatic selection route to the first XI.

Now it appears that do a shift in training and it will get noticed by the coaching staff. This is a much better way of doing things than just allowing players to stagnate and go through the motions because they know it doesn't matter what they do as they simply won't get picked.

That's so true Tony and its cost us big time in the past. Unfortunately especially in our season in the Premier.

I know for a fact Jeppo has been hard on Noone for the last week in training as Warnock knows Noone can be a great winger on his day so Warnock has pressed Jeppo to push Noone to the limits, seems to be working.