NEIL WARNOCK: TRANSFER 'COULD HAVE BEEN DONE BETTER'

Emiliano Sala's Cardiff transfer could have been done better - Neil Warnock
By Michael Pearlman - BBC Sport Wales


Thursday 21st February 2019


Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock admits the £15m transfer of Emiliano Sala could have been better conducted, but insists chairman Mehmet Dalman "will do things in the right way".

Sala was Cardiff's record signing but never played for the club. He died when a plane piloted by David Ibbotson, who remains missing, crashed.

The Bluebirds were due to make the first payment to Nantes on 20 February, but the clubs have agreed a delay of one week.

"Certain things were done that in reflection should not have been done. That stirred everyone up," said Warnock.

"But I have complete faith in Mehmet that things will come to a conclusion in the future.

"I don't really want to go into detail on that, but it created stories that shouldn't have been there.

"The matter should have been kept between the two clubs really [Cardiff and Nantes].

"I have every confidence in Mehmet. I know a lot has been written, people surmising things, but I've known Mehmet since I arrived here and I'm quite confident he'll deal with it in the right way.

"They've asked for an extension and I think Nantes have agreed with that."


Nantes wrote to Cardiff on 5 February with a request for the first of three instalments to be paid.

Cardiff said they were withholding payment while seeking "clarification" on details of the accident and want to wait until crash investigations are complete.

They are also querying "anomalies" in contract details, but say they will be "honourable" with Nantes over the transfer fee if they are contractually obliged to pay.

Warnock says certain issues should not have become public and also walked back on comments he made that certain journalists covering the story have a "vendetta against him".


The Cardiff boss also defended his son James, an agent, whose involvement in certain Cardiff transfers has led to accusations of a conflict of interest.

"I feel sorry for James if I am honest," said Warnock.

"[Cardiff captain Sean] Morrison was mentioned as one of his players. We turned down £5m from Sheffield Wednesday for him, so it was sensible to put him on a longer contract.

"Rhys Healey was mentioned, an up-and-coming player and all the other players were already here before I joined the club.

"Vendetta was probably the wrong word for me to use really. I just think a couple of journalists in particular, over the last 15 years, when I look at the columns they have written… It's not just journalism really. But hey ho.

"All I can talk about is the football side. The board deal with the financial side.

"But Mehmet will bring it to a conclusion in the next I don't know how many days."


Warnock would not comment on remarks from agent Willie McKay, who said last week that Cardiff "had hung him out to dry".

Football agent McKay says he arranged the flight that Sala took from Nantes, but was not involved in selecting the plane or pilot.

When asked about McKay's comments, Warnock said: "I think everything has been said. If you keep talking about it, they'll keep writing about it."

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I don't know what exactly we can do as a club but there definitely needs to be re-writing of how agents can get involved.

We also desperately need to review transfer policy when making permanent signings as there have been too many expensive disasters e.g. Tomlin, Cornelius etc.

Perhaps we should just use the loan to buy route more often especially for overseas players.

BRIGHT BLUEFUTURE
agree with you about loan to buy its worked for wolves.

BRIGHT BLUEFUTURE
agree with you about loan to buy its worked for wolves.

Fair play Wolves have got it spot on over the last 2 years regarding foreign transfers. They loan them with a view to buy if they impress at Wolves, and if they're shit then Wolves aren't stuck with a crap player who they spent a lot of money on. They did it well with Boly, Jota, Helder Costa, Jonny, Vinagre, and Dendoncker along with Afobe who they made a profit off as well. Very well run club. Bet Fulham wish they'd followed the same formula.

BRIGHT BLUEFUTURE
agree with you about loan to buy its worked for wolves.

Fair play Wolves have got it spot on over the last 2 years regarding foreign transfers. They loan them with a view to buy if they impress at Wolves, and if they're shit then Wolves aren't stuck with a crap player who they spent a lot of money on. They did it well with Boly, Jota, Helder Costa, Jonny, Vinagre, and Dendoncker along with Afobe who they made a profit off as well. Very well run club. Bet Fulham wish they'd followed the same formula.

its not so much a formula
as needing an agent massively onside to pull this off ?

BRIGHT BLUEFUTURE
agree with you about loan to buy its worked for wolves.

Fair play Wolves have got it spot on over the last 2 years regarding foreign transfers. They loan them with a view to buy if they impress at Wolves, and if they're shit then Wolves aren't stuck with a crap player who they spent a lot of money on. They did it well with Boly, Jota, Helder Costa, Jonny, Vinagre, and Dendoncker along with Afobe who they made a profit off as well. Very well run club. Bet Fulham wish they'd followed the same formula.

That's the best thing about it, if you can see enough flaws in a player then you're not stuck with him for several years... It's not so risky then when shelling out big money for an overseas player.

BRIGHT BLUEFUTURE
agree with you about loan to buy its worked for wolves.

Fair play Wolves have got it spot on over the last 2 years regarding foreign transfers. They loan them with a view to buy if they impress at Wolves, and if they're shit then Wolves aren't stuck with a crap player who they spent a lot of money on. They did it well with Boly, Jota, Helder Costa, Jonny, Vinagre, and Dendoncker along with Afobe who they made a profit off as well. Very well run club. Bet Fulham wish they'd followed the same formula.

its not so much a formula
as needing an agent massively onside to pull this off ?

Perhaps you're right about the agents needing to be on your side, but it's not as if players had a gun to their heads to go to Wolverhampton of all places.

Wolves have tried to corner of the Portuguese market like this so maybe we should use our connections in Belgium to do the same sort of thing there... Like with that Wesley bloke. No way worth risking 20m on. So pop in a loan fee of 4-5m with success clauses then agree a final potential fee if they're successful...

Was thinking about this last night.. I get it is difficult signing players. But when are we going to sign young talent? Build for the future? I think we have done as much as we can signing backyard dogs wanting a bone. We will never afford big time signings, so we have to sign younger talent and think long term also.

Was thinking about this last night.. I get it is difficult signing players. But when are we going to sign young talent? Build for the future? I think we have done as much as we can signing backyard dogs wanting a bone. We will never afford big time signings, so we have to sign younger talent and think long term also.

To be fair I think he has, I don't feel we have an old squad but even the likes of Reid and Murphy come at quite a cost.

Also do our fans have the patients to let players develop, im not sure.

Was thinking about this last night.. I get it is difficult signing players. But when are we going to sign young talent? Build for the future? I think we have done as much as we can signing backyard dogs wanting a bone. We will never afford big time signings, so we have to sign younger talent and think long term also.

To be fair I think he has, I don't feel we have an old squad but even the likes of Reid and Murphy come at quite a cost.

Also do our fans have the patients to let players develop, im not sure.

I think only those fans who are in the medical profession will have the patients

Was thinking about this last night.. I get it is difficult signing players. But when are we going to sign young talent? Build for the future? I think we have done as much as we can signing backyard dogs wanting a bone. We will never afford big time signings, so we have to sign younger talent and think long term also.

To be fair I think he has, I don't feel we have an old squad but even the likes of Reid and Murphy come at quite a cost.

Also do our fans have the patients to let players develop, im not sure.

I think only those fans who are in the medical profession will have the patients

Well that's Autocorrect for you

Was thinking about this last night.. I get it is difficult signing players. But when are we going to sign young talent? Build for the future? I think we have done as much as we can signing backyard dogs wanting a bone. We will never afford big time signings, so we have to sign younger talent and think long term also.

To be fair I think he has, I don't feel we have an old squad but even the likes of Reid and Murphy come at quite a cost.

Also do our fans have the patients to let players develop, im not sure.

We have a few talented players who can develop further, yes. But i was aiming at 18 - 21 year olds, players who could both make the step up and make the club some profit. I think we have left this behind a bit. I think you are right about patience though. But it has to be learned at some point.

Was thinking about this last night.. I get it is difficult signing players. But when are we going to sign young talent? Build for the future? I think we have done as much as we can signing backyard dogs wanting a bone. We will never afford big time signings, so we have to sign younger talent and think long term also.

To be fair I think he has, I don't feel we have an old squad but even the likes of Reid and Murphy come at quite a cost.

Also do our fans have the patients to let players develop, im not sure.

We have a few talented players who can develop further, yes. But i was aiming at 18 - 21 year olds, players who could both make the step up and make the club some profit. I think we have left this behind a bit. I think you are right about patience though. But it has to be learned at some point.

I think the problem is everyone is looking for the next best thing and then Man City usually sign them up I see what you mean though, ideally that would be the way forward.