Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
NEIL’S SAVVY JUST GOLDEN
Warnock has the perfect touch says George
The 71-year-old manager kept the Te e s s i d e r s in the Championship when he joined in June and his team have started the new campaign in solid fashion.
It continued with a battling point at his former club Cardiff with Saville opening the scoring.
Boro travelled more than 1,000 miles in the past week after drawing with Reading and facing Bristol City and the Bluebirds on the road.
And Saville – who netted at both Ashton Gate and Cardiff City Stadium – was happy with the outcome.
He said: “You’ve seen a lot of lads grow in confidence under this manager. We know our jobs and it’s a season to look forward to – it’s man-management.
“There is a good buzz around the place, the manager is great with the boys, and he makes players feel good before they’ve even touched the ball.
“We’ve got a good structure, we’re difficult to beat, and if we can keep progressing, build, and show a bit more going forward then we can have a good season.”
Warnock (right) was returning to Cardiff – a club he led into the Premier League during three years in the Welsh capital
– for the first time since leaving last November.
He was bang up for the challenge and his trademark direct approach had the
Bluebirds toiling.
Saville gave them the lead when he headed home Marcus Tavernier’s corner before the break.
Cardif f had half chances through Kieffer Moore and Harry Wilson, but finally levelled in the 70th minute with a goal Warnock fumed should not have stood.
Moore headed down a corner, substitute Robert Glatzel flicked on , and S heyi O jo f ini sh ed . Warnock felt Saville had been blocked, leaving Moore free.
“It’s a good feeling scoring goals and getting positive results. I’m delighted,” said Saville.
“Being in front you want to keep all three points, but after the week we’ve had it’s a good point.
“We’ve played three good teams and two in the top six. To go through the week unbeaten is great.”
Cardiff suffered play-off heartbreak last season, but Neil Harris’ side are still to win at home in the new campaign.
“We need to make sure we are a little more streetwise,” Harris said. “We’ve had it for 12 months away from home and for the majority of the time, we have had it at home as well. But all of a sudden we’ve got key moments going against us at home.
“Bournemouth scored a good goal against us, but three of the other five goals we have conceded in the league at home have been from set-pieces and two have been from us giving the ball away at the edge of our own box.
“You get to the stage where it’s not acceptable.”
CARDIFF CITY: Smithies 6, Osei-tutu 6 (Bacuna 67,6), Morrison 5, Nelson 6, Bagan 6, Vaulks 6, Ralls 6, Murphy 4 (Glatzel 63,6), Wilson 7, Ojo 7 (Hoilett 86), Moore 6
MIDDLESBROUGH: Bettinelli 7, Dijksteel 6, Fry 7, Mcnair 7, Howson 6, Tavernier 8, Johnson 5 (Spence 77, 6), Morsy 6, Saville 7, Bola 6, Akpom 5 (Assombalonga 66, 6)
MARCUS TAVERNIER (BORO)