Cardiff U23 players 'not good enough', says ex-boss Neil Warnock
BBC
Tuesday 6th October 2020
Neil Warnock has been in football management since 1980, managed 1,500 games.
Former Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock has criticised the quality of the Championship club's academy.
The 71-year-old current Middlesbrough boss was in charge of the Bluebirds from 2016-19, leading them into the Premier League in 2018 but overseeing relegation after one season.
Warnock told BBC 5 Live no Under-23 players were considered for the senior side as they "weren't good enough".
"I was criticised a little bit at Cardiff about the Under-23s," he said.
"But they just weren't good enough to get in the first team and I don't think they will be in the next few years."
Warnock added that the academy system in general in the English pyramid system - which has its own Under-23 league for the leading clubs - is not producing players with the all-round skills needed to flourish at senior level, especially in regard to defending.
"I'm not sure it's all down to the players, I just think it's how it's been brought on," added the hugely experienced Warnock, who has managed 17 different clubs over four decades.
"They wanted this [U23] league and there's jobs for everyone in the academies etcetera, but I don't see an end product if I'm honest.
"I wanted us to play against the Welsh league [Cymru Premier] teams, places like that down there when I was at Cardiff.
"They [young players] don't become accustomed to playing against men and having to deal with things like that, and that's where I think you learn about defensive things.
"All this pretty pass, pass, pass and I know that at academy [level] they've got to be comfortable on the ball, but I don't see any coaching in defending."
Premier League clubs do have the opportunity for their Under-21 players to play regularly against more experienced professionals thanks to the EFL Trophy.
You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.