Forget Pep and Klopp... if he keeps Cardiff in the Prem,Warnock just HAS to be manager of the year

NEIL WARNOCK will be my manager of the season if he keeps Cardiff City in the Premier League.

As an achievement, the only things which could top that are Pep Guardiola winning the Quadruple at Manchester City (still possible), Jurgen Klopp winning the title and Champions League at Liverpool (unlikely), or Mauricio Pochettino lifting the European Cup at Tottenham (a long shot).

Cardiff look like they are going down. As things stand, with goal difference weighted heavily against them, they are six points from safety.

But if they win at Burnley this weekend and at Brighton on Tuesday night they would really put the cat among the pigeons. And if Warnock can galvanise the Bluebirds into winning three of their last six games, he would be within touching distance of a miracle.

Let’s be honest, in terms of quality, Cardiff ’s squad is one of the worst we’ve ever seen in the Premier League.

Warnock’s defence has been built around 34-year-old Sol Bamba, who is out for the rest of the season with a serious knee injury. One of his forwards, Callum Paterson, was a rightback at Hearts.

Lots of pundits thought they would be down already, and Chris Sutton reckoned they would get fewer points than Derby’s record low of 11 back in 2007-08. They have also had to deal with the trauma of the Emiliano Sala tragedy.

After everything they have been through, on and off the pitch, Cardiff have shown unbelievable spirit.

Fulham spent £100million and they are gone already. The odds are stacked against Cardiff surviving, but that’s why Warnock (main pic) would be my manager of the season if they stay up.

What could top that?

If City win the Quadruple, it would be hard to look beyond an unprecedented achievement.

Yes, Guardiola (top) has assembled an expensive squad, but it is also one of the finest teams we’ve ever seen in English football. Four pots in a season would be incredible – although they have work to do against Tottenham in their Champions League quarter-final second leg.

If Klopp (below) ends Liverpool’s 29-year wait for the title, is that a greater achievement than Cardiff staying up with that squad? It’s debatable, although I would have no qualms about Klopp being manager of the year if they win both the title and Champions League. The other wild card would be Pochettino. If Spurs, who didn’t spend a bean in the last two transfer windows, win the European Cup – and they will have to do it now without Harry Kane – that would be a sensational achievement after winning only one trophy in 20 years.

I would also give honourable mentions to Javi Gracia at Watford, who are in the shakeup for best of the rest and in only the second FA Cup Final in their history, and Chris Wilder at Sheffield United – especially if the Blades make it into the Premier League without throwing money at winning promotion. But for me, 70-year-old Warnock keeping Cardiff up would be the finest achievement of all.