Neil Warnock names his favourite game as Cardiff City manage
Fri Jul 17, 2020 10:57 am
Neil Warnock names his favourite game as Cardiff City manager
Warnock, now in charge of Middlesbrough, faces Cardiff for the first time since departing in a crucial Championship game this weekend
By Dominic Booth
Friday 17 July 2020
Neil Warnock has named Cardiff City's 2018 promotion-clinching victory over Hull City as his favourite game in charge of the Bluebirds.
Warnock, now in charge of Middlesbrough, faces Cardiff for the first time since departing in a crucial Championship game this weekend.
This extract from upcoming book 'My Kind of Club - The inside story of Neil Warnock's Cardiff City' charts that dramatic week at the climax of the 2017/18 campaign when Warnock's Bluebirds marched towards promotion.
Cardiff City had been heroic all over the pitch against Hull, though their performance came as something of a surprise to Warnock who had overseen a tough few days in training beforehand. The disappointment of the Derby defeat had punctured the mood somewhat.
"I remember that week we were a little bit subdued when we had a session,” says Warnock.
“We talked a bit about Hull City as they had Bowen and we wanted to work on restricting their wide lads and give our players more opportunities.
“But really it wasn't anything physical, it was the end of the season and we didn't need any physical stuff. It was just a talk to say: 'listen, we haven't done all this to let it go, everyone in the country thinks Fulham are gonna do us'.”
Sean Morrison took the message to heart more than most, enjoying arguably his best ever performance in a Cardiff shirt. He capped it with a remarkable second goal, racing forward in the 80th minute to seal the win. Warnock, to this day, still wonders how the centre-back managed to storm into the box to latch onto Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s pass and slot home left-footed with the composure of a top striker.
But at the time, he didn’t care. The away end erupted, as a tousled-haired Morrison slid towards them on his knees and thumped the Cardiff badge on his chest. It’s an image now ingrained in the memories of Bluebirds fans and Warnock.
He couldn't be prouder of his players. And the fact captain Morrison had bounced back from the Derby video fiasco to single-handedly inspire this vital win was so significant. The togetherness had lasted the distance: from Devon and Cornwall, up and down the country for 45 games, to the banks of the River Humber.
NEIL WARNOCK:
"I know we're limited and not everybody's cup of tea but we're not going away, we're like a rash,” Warnock said, beaming after the game.
“I'm ever so proud of them, they just don't know when they're beat.”
The win lifted Cardiff to 89 points with one game remaining. They would host Reading on the season’s final day while Fulham, on 88 points, travelled to Birmingham City.
The job wasn’t quite finished, yet Warnock somehow felt sure his players had done the hard part. They wouldn’t relinquish this.
Warnock says: “I know winning promotion is a lovely feeling, but [that game] at Hull City epitomised my whole career as a manager; how to overcome adversity when everyone writes you off and how to instil that mentality into a group of players.
“It was one of the best weeks of my career to get a win and a performance like that after such a disappointment against Derby County.”
Warnock, now in charge of Middlesbrough, faces Cardiff for the first time since departing in a crucial Championship game this weekend
By Dominic Booth
Friday 17 July 2020
Neil Warnock has named Cardiff City's 2018 promotion-clinching victory over Hull City as his favourite game in charge of the Bluebirds.
Warnock, now in charge of Middlesbrough, faces Cardiff for the first time since departing in a crucial Championship game this weekend.
This extract from upcoming book 'My Kind of Club - The inside story of Neil Warnock's Cardiff City' charts that dramatic week at the climax of the 2017/18 campaign when Warnock's Bluebirds marched towards promotion.
Cardiff City had been heroic all over the pitch against Hull, though their performance came as something of a surprise to Warnock who had overseen a tough few days in training beforehand. The disappointment of the Derby defeat had punctured the mood somewhat.
"I remember that week we were a little bit subdued when we had a session,” says Warnock.
“We talked a bit about Hull City as they had Bowen and we wanted to work on restricting their wide lads and give our players more opportunities.
“But really it wasn't anything physical, it was the end of the season and we didn't need any physical stuff. It was just a talk to say: 'listen, we haven't done all this to let it go, everyone in the country thinks Fulham are gonna do us'.”
Sean Morrison took the message to heart more than most, enjoying arguably his best ever performance in a Cardiff shirt. He capped it with a remarkable second goal, racing forward in the 80th minute to seal the win. Warnock, to this day, still wonders how the centre-back managed to storm into the box to latch onto Nathaniel Mendez-Laing’s pass and slot home left-footed with the composure of a top striker.
But at the time, he didn’t care. The away end erupted, as a tousled-haired Morrison slid towards them on his knees and thumped the Cardiff badge on his chest. It’s an image now ingrained in the memories of Bluebirds fans and Warnock.
He couldn't be prouder of his players. And the fact captain Morrison had bounced back from the Derby video fiasco to single-handedly inspire this vital win was so significant. The togetherness had lasted the distance: from Devon and Cornwall, up and down the country for 45 games, to the banks of the River Humber.
NEIL WARNOCK:
"I know we're limited and not everybody's cup of tea but we're not going away, we're like a rash,” Warnock said, beaming after the game.
“I'm ever so proud of them, they just don't know when they're beat.”
The win lifted Cardiff to 89 points with one game remaining. They would host Reading on the season’s final day while Fulham, on 88 points, travelled to Birmingham City.
The job wasn’t quite finished, yet Warnock somehow felt sure his players had done the hard part. They wouldn’t relinquish this.
Warnock says: “I know winning promotion is a lovely feeling, but [that game] at Hull City epitomised my whole career as a manager; how to overcome adversity when everyone writes you off and how to instil that mentality into a group of players.
“It was one of the best weeks of my career to get a win and a performance like that after such a disappointment against Derby County.”
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Re: Neil Warnock names his favourite game as Cardiff City ma
Fri Jul 17, 2020 2:34 pm
Actually agree with Warnock there.
I remember being furious with Sean Morrison at first for being that far up the pitch
I remember being furious with Sean Morrison at first for being that far up the pitch
Re: Neil Warnock names his favourite game as Cardiff City ma
Fri Jul 17, 2020 4:04 pm
worcester_ccfc wrote:Actually agree with Warnock there.
I remember being furious with Sean Morrison at first for being that far up the pitch
Any other week you'd have been right too, Ned!
