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Warnock hits out at Kane
NEIL WARNOCK has accused “top players” of tarnishing football by diving with a swipe at Harry Kane ahead of Tottenham’s visit to Cardiff this evening.
The England captain was cautioned for a dive during Spurs’ shock home defeat by Wolves on Saturday.
And asked about the booking at Wembley – which Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer labelled a correct decision – Bluebirds boss Warnock said: “It’s so difficult to see diving, you can’t blame referees. I say to my players about the top players, ‘Try not to breathe on them’.
“I said that before the Manchester United game – ‘If they get in the box don’t breathe on them at all because they’ll be down’. That’s how it is nowadays.”
Warnock, despite being an admirer of Spurs manager Mauricio Pochettino, also rubbished the north London side’s title pretensions.
Kane was accused of getting Cardiff’s Joe Ralls sent off in Tottenham’s 1-0 win at Wembley in October, with Warnock saying the striker’s reaction
Warnock. “We’ve got working on that line.
“This is a shot to nothing for us against Spurs. If you had said to me at the start of the season we’d get four points from our three Christmas fixtures I’d have bitten your hand off. It’s another massive challenge.”
Warnock also confirmed his interest in Dundee midfielder Glen Kamara.
The Finland international, 23, is out of contract at the end of the season, and Warnock believes positive results, which have taken Cardiff three points clear of the relegation zone, will help his cause to sign new players.
“He is a good player,” Warnock said of Kamara. “He has had an to keep up and down start to his career, but is one of a number of Scottish lads we’ve looked at.
“I’m not confident at all [of signing new players] as it is so difficult in January, but it’s better for me when we have had a couple of results that we have had.
“It is easier talking to players when you are not bottom of the league. We can try and convince them we have a chance of staying up and ask them to come and help us out. If you look at the club and the crowds that are following us, it is an appealing place to come to.” players have recovered from that. I may have to make three or four changes, but that is nothing new.”
His options are limited though, with midfield trio Eric Dier, Mousa Dembele and Victor Wanyama all out and the game likely to be too soon for Jan Vertonghen and Serge Aurier. Erik Lamela, despite his calf injury, is more hopeful.
And Pochettino is expecting a testing encounter in the Welsh capital.
“It’s a tough place to play,” he said. “Cardiff’s physicality makes them a very dangerous team.” influenced referee Mike Dean’s decision to dismiss Ralls for a foul on Lucas Moura, above.
“I didn’t like him confronting Rallsy but I can understand why he did it, he’s looking after his own player,” said Warnock.
And he added: “I really admire Pochettino and his staff, but I don’t think they’re title contenders. They’re going to have a great season and they would be contenders in a normal situation.
“But we’ve just got two incredible teams at the moment and one of them is flying.
“If Liverpool get a result on Thursday against Manchester City then it is very difficult to see anyone else winning it.”