WHEN I DIE, THIS IS WHAT PEOPLE WILL REMEMBER...
Warnock: Cardiff will be my legacy
NEIL WarNOCK believes taking Cardiff City to the Premier League would secure his footballing legacy.
The 69-year-old will achieve a record- breaking eighth promotion if his Bluebirds can finish the job by matching or bettering Fulham’s result tomorrow. and when all is said and done, Warnock is confident that his promotion expertise will earn him a special place in the annals of football history.
‘When you die and pass away, it’s nice to have something people will remember you by,’ said Warnock. ‘ That’s what I’ve strived for for many years — to get to the top.
‘I was never good enough as a player so I wanted to be a manager and I’ve done it right from the bottom as a Sunday league manager, to Gainsborough and every division.
‘I want to be remembered in the right way, but this will be my biggest achievement by an absolute mile, when you look at the state of the club 18 months ago.
‘ To be challenging at this stage is a miracle, but miracles do happenpp and I’m hoping this can be another one.’ne.’
The first promotion of Warnock’s 38-year managerial career came when he took Scarborough into the football league, before backtowith kcit h back successes Notts County.y.
He found thee formula again with Huddersfield and Plymouth argyle and then took his beloved Sheffield United to the promised land of the top flight.
He made it seven with QPr seven years ago, and now only tomorrow’s opponents reading stand in the way of breaking a record he holds with dave Bassett, Graham Taylor and Jim Smith. ‘Proving ex- chairmen wrong is probably my biggest drive to be honest,’ he added. ‘It still burns with me, I still like to show people that I have not had a great relationship with what they have missed. ‘We know we’re not everyone’s cup of tea but that mental thing has made us stronger. We keep getting kicked in the teeth but we keep bouncinbouncing back up and surprisingsurp a lot of peoppeople. ‘I tthink I have brobrought the clT club together. That is the bbiggest plus over the 18 months I’ve been here.’ Cardiff hhave a clean bbill of health fofor the reading ingreading game, apart from talismanic midfiemidfielder aron Gunnarss on, Gunnarss who has a race to be fit for Iceland’s World Cup campaign. ‘dave Bassett was voted best Sheffield United manager ever, so that bugged me,’ added Warnock. ‘But they’re all good managers, Graham obviously, they’ve all done fabulous jobs over the years. I’m just glad I’ve got my health to have a go.’