Time’s up for Noone after Warnock talks
WALES goalkeeper Danny Ward told Huddersfield boss David Wagner he would “make it happen” before two crucial saves in a penalty shoot-out to take the team to Wembley.
Huddersfield overcame Sheffield Wednesday in their Championship play-off semi final second leg to book a place in the final with Reading on May 29.
After the match at Hillsborough, German manager Wagner, who worked under Jurgen Klopp at Borussia Dortmund and is a close friend, said: “I was pretty relaxed.
“Wardy came up to me before the shoot-out and said, ‘Boss I will make it happen’ so I was relaxed. I trust Danny and my players.”
Speaking on Huddersfield’s YouTube channel, on-loan Liverpool keeper Ward said he was feeling “absolute elation tinged with a bit of relief” after his match-winning contribution.
He added: “Penalty shootouts are nerve-wracking things and it’s a cruel way to go out. But when you win them and in the manner that we did, it’s obviously an immense feeling.
“Obviously there’s pressure on you, it’s not just for myself, it’s the boys who are taking the penalties as well. There’s no magic remedy or something to saving penalties.
“You know, you’ve just got to analyse who’s taking the penalty and then just pick a way and try and get a couple of hands on it and thankfully tonight it swung in our favour.”
Ward saved Sheffield Wednesday’s first kick to give Huddersfield the advantage and then saved the final effort from Fernando Forestieri after Jack Payne had missed for the Terriers.
He said: “I think that might have calmed a couple of the lads down with their penalties. But a save at any point in a shoot-out is massive. It can completely change the momentum in a shoot-out.
“Obviously there were a few butterflies on the last one, because obviously Payney (Jack Payne) missed his which I feel gutted for him because it was a great save to be fair. But when you save it and you know you’re going to Wembley, it’s a bit of relief.
“Now we have to show what we’re made of. Let’s have a real good go at what would be an absolute dream of a season.
“Enjoy this moment, but we’ve got to remember that there’s another game. One final step that we all want to make and hopefully we get there.” CRAIG Noone is set for a Cardiff City exit following end-of-season talks with manager Neil Warnock.
The winger has been told he can find a new club after almost five years with the Bluebirds.
Warnock had made it clear he was ready to take stock ahead of rebuilding plans this summer and would be prepared to move on senior men in order to make room for fresh faces.
And the Cardiff chief has confirmed Noone is among those informed they won’t be figuring as part of the frontline plans for the side next term as Warnock plots a push for promotion.
Noone, 29, has one year left to run on the contract extension he signed in 2014, having joined in a £1m move from Brighton two years earlier.
The Liverpudlian wideman is one of the four senior surviving members of the Cardiff team that won promotion to the Premier League under Malky Mackay and had made 170 appearances for the South Wales club.
But he has failed to recapture the form that made him one of the club’s better performers during their shortlived stay in the Premier League and subsequently struggled to hold down a place in the starting Warnock’s arrival.
It means Cardiff would look to move on the popular flier as Warnock seeks other additions, with the Bluebirds boss admitting: “I spoke to Craig and we’ve had a heart-to-heart about things and I think it’s best for all that he finds himself a new challenge.”
Noone had appeared stale at times this year to prompt question marks over his future at Cardiff City Stadium.
He did enjoy a purple patch of form in February which saw him grab eyecatching goals in the wins over Derby and Rotherham, leading Warnock to reveal he had said to the fans’ favourite ‘welcome back’ as he hoped for a fitand-firing Noone to underline his worth.
But he failed to maintain his levels and frustrated towards the end of the season, leading to speculation he would be among casualties this summer.
Warnock will now be keen to press ahead with transfer plans as he seeks XI following the handful of additions he feels are necessary to build upon the foundations of his successful first campaign having replaced Paul Trollope as boss in October.
But he will wait for a meeting with owner Vincent Tan later this month before giving the green light on deals with the futures of out-of-contract pair Peter Whittingham and Bruno Manga still up in the air.
Whittingham has been offered a new deal by the club, but has yet to make a decision on whether to take the fresh terms, likely to be on a reduced wage. The 32-year-old has attracted interest from Championship rivals, but has previously outlined a desire to stay in South Wales.
Warnock has already wrapped up a new deal for striker Kenneth Zohore, while he said earlier this month that he expected that new agreements with Junior Hoilett and Kadeem Harris would be sealed in due course, both players having seen their contracts come to an end at the climax of the Championship season.