WARNOCK JOY AS CRITICS PROVED WRONG
NEIL WARNOCK is finally loving life in the Premier League. The 70-year-old boss has steered relegation favourites Cardiff out of the drop zone and up into 14th place. That is down to winning four of their last five home games, a run that has left Chris Sutton and his fellow pundits with egg on their faces.
Former Blackburn striker Sutton, before a ball had been kicked, predicted the Welsh club would be relegated with a record low points tally.
Warnock is revelling in proving his critics wrong after spells in the top tier with Notts County, Sheffield United and QPR all ended in either relegation or the sack. Although Warnock has previously claimed he is more suited to life outside the Premier League after a record eight promotions, he’s now starting to rethink.
He said: “I’m enjoying it. This time I said to myself I want to enjoy going to the grounds. The stadiums are fabulous for the fans.
“The only chance I have ever had in the Premier League is taking a club up. And I don’t think I will be doing that again if I’m honest.”
Cardiff ’s home form is keeping their head above water.
Following three successive home wins in the top flight for the first time since 1961, Warnock said: “The big advantage for us is we have a group of fans who are absolutely behind the lads 100 per cent.
Relax
“Even when we lose they are so vocal and that takes so much pressure off the players. Players can relax and play.
“They work hard down here in the Valleys and if they see the team giving everything, that is all they ask.
“They don’t want no prima donnas. You can’t tell me one lad out there who hasn’t given everything.”
The Bluebirds head to Watford on Saturday after taking just one point from seven games on the road.
They conceded three goals in 12 minutes in losing at West Ham in their previous away trip, while visits to Liverpool and Chelsea also saw them ship four goals.
Warnock added: “It’s going to be a long, hard winter. You don’t get carried away at a club like ours.
“We work hard away from home but in our last game conceded three goals in 12 minutes and missed a penalty. You can’t do much more to lose a game.”