PELLEGRINI: RICE IS TOPS AND ALL READY FOR ENGLAND
Warnock: We’re tired but my players amazingly keep finding another gear
EXHAUSTED Neil Warnock is hoping his Cardiff City team can keep going over the next 12 games to complete their ‘Mission: Impossible’ and stay in the Premier League.
Warnock flew 14,000 miles last weekend to attend the funeral of record-signing Emiliano Sala, who died in an air crash on his way to the Welsh capital to link up with his new team-mates.
If that was not testing enough for 70-year-old Warnock, his side kicks off a run of three games in nine days at home against Watford tonight.
“It is a bit exhausting at this stage, if I’m totally honest. I will look back at the end of the season to see if I’ve enjoyed it or not,” admitted Warnock.
“It all depends on what the outcome is. It is hard work when you are competing with what we are competing with. But the lads keep helping me out by surprising me and stepping up another gear. It is tiring, though.
“We’ve had challenges all season. When we hadn’t won a game in the first... I don’t know how many games, we got people saying it was the worst team they’d seen and we wouldn’t get past 11 points.
“So, the first challenge was to get past 11 points. Then it was the 20-point mark, then it goes on like that. There are some very big teams with DECLAN RICE is ready to play for England right away as he is the country’s best holding midfielder.
That is the view of West Ham boss Manuel Pellegrini who hailed his starlet as a complete player.
Rice (left) announced his decision to change his international allegiance massive squads that have been in the Premier League for a very long time around us.
“Everybody appreciates that our budget is as low as it’s ever been in the Premier League. But stories like this can have happy endings.
“It won’t be for the lack of trying because we’ve got such a great group of players and the fans have been fantastic.
‘‘I don’t see anything other than everybody giving everything in the last six home and away games.” The financial BOTTOM OF THE PREM from Ireland to England last week. Three Lions boss Gareth Southgate is hoping to hand him a call-up for next month’s internationals providing his switch is officially finalised by FIFA in time. And Pellegrini sees no
vfallout from the £15million Sala transfer from Nantes to Cardiff continues.Warnock confirmed the French club have agreed an extension to the date for the first instalment of £5m from the Bluebirds.
“Certain things were done, on reflection, that shouldn’t have been done,” Warnock said. “But I have every confidence in Mehmet (Dalman, Cardiff City chairman) that it will come to a conclusion in the near future.
‘‘I don’t want to go into detail, but it should have been kept TONIGHT, KICK-OFF 7.45PM
reason why Southgate should hesitate to call on the 20-year-old.
He said: “Yes. I think he is ready to play for England and I think that we are just starting the development of him as a player. His between the two clubs.” Warnock also reacted to the fact his son, James, who works for Unique Sports Management, has been dragged into the Sala saga.
He is believed to have been involved in Cardiff business involving at least three players – Sean Morrison, Rhys Healey and Craig Noone.
“I feel sorry for James. We turned down £5m from Sheffield Wednesday for Morrison, and I think it was a sensible thing to put him on a longer contract,” added Warnock.
“Rhys Healey was mentioned. He is an up-and-coming lad, who has a big future in the game. All the other players were at the club before I arrived.” performances are better than every holding midfielder – I am talking about the English players.”
Meanwhile, Claudio Ranieri last night hit back at the doubters who believe Fulham are doomed to the drop from the Premier League – and insisted he can perform yet another miracle. Ranieri, whose title Etheridge, Peltier, Bamba, Manga, Paterson, Gunnarsson, Ralls, Bennett, Arter, Reid, Niasse Foster, Janmaat, Cathcart, Mariappa, Masina, Doucoure, Capoue, Hughes, Quina, Deulofeu, Deeney Roger East Cardiff 22 wins, Watford 20, Draws 14 Cardiff 11-5, Watford 7-5, Draw 12-5 win with Leicester in 2016 is rated one of the biggest ‘miracles’ in football, said: “I arrived at Parma more or less at this period.
“The team was near the bottom – but in the end we were safe.
“People are saying, ‘OK, Fulham are down.’ But I am confident. This team is like the one at Parma.” JAVI GRACIA has told Watford to set aside Cardiff’s emotional turmoil over the death of Emiliano Sala and focus only on extending their impressive run.
Just two defeats in 14 games have put the Hornets in the Premier League’s top eight and the FA Cup quarterfinals.
But head coach Gracia says they cannot use tragic striker Sala’s plane crash last month as a premise for dropping their intensity levels at the Cardiff City Stadium.
The Bluebirds have been energised and motivated by £15million record signing Sala’s traumatic fate, sealing back-to-back wins against Bournemouth and Southampton.
Gracia (above) said: “This season, there have been two difficult moments for two different teams – Leicester and Cardiff.
“We will try to be very, very respectful because we don’t want anybody to suffer what they have been through, but after that you have to compete again on the pitch.”