WARNOCK CURRIES FAVOUR WITH TAN OVER BUDGET
WARNOCK AND TAN SHARE A CURRY... THEN SHARE THEIR PLANS FOR SUCCESS WITH THE BLUEBIRDS
ONE of Cardiff City’s top brass has revealed how a meeting in London over a Malaysian curry has got the Bluebirds smiling about their summer business.
And he has outlined how the developments since those discussions over dinner have shown that a “new” Cardiff are ready to bring renewed hope to supporters dreaming of tasting promotion glory.
Manager Neil Warnock had been scheduled to fly to south-east Asia to meet owner Vincent Tan to finalise transfer plans for the coming season.
But, instead, Tan travelled to the UK to meet Warnock and other Cardiff officials – bringing a flavour of his homeland with him.
The meeting, held in the days after the Champions League final in Cardiff that Tan attended, saw Warnock and Tan meet in person for what is thought to be only the second time since the Yorkshireman’s appointment last October.
Warnock had received some assurances about Cardiff’s direction – not to mention Tan’s support – before agreeing to sign a new contract with the Bluebirds in March.
But the 68-year-old had hinted he was waiting on really pushing on with plans until after meeting Malaysian moneyman Tan.
It left fans eager to know that the overwhelmingly popular Warnock would be backed – and now Ken Choo has revealed how the meeting “exceeded expectations”.
Choo, Cardiff’s executive director and CEO, was present along with other members of the club’s transfer committee including chairman Mehmet Dalman and director Steve Borley, and he said: “It went very well. We were supposed to go to Malaysia but Vincent was flying in anyway and he was keen that, rather than waste days travelling when we could be working on transfers, he flew to us.
“It’s good for the two men to be eyeto-eye when they talk. There are lots of things Neil can explain to Vincent much better in person than over the phone or text. Face-to-face is good, that personal touch adds to the relationship they have.
“It was a good meeting; Neil was enjoying the Malaysian curry after Vincent had made some dishes for him, and they were sharing jokes.
“They are similar characters in many ways and Neil was very happy with everything; he was smiling walking out. It exceeded my expectations in terms of the outcome and it is clear the relationship is very good. I think they are good for each other and I know Neil has got quite a lot of support from Vincent.”
Support that Warnock was keen to reaffirm, just as Cardiff fans have been keen to be re-assured of.
Far from the high profile role he once took in South Wales, Tan has been a far more hands-off figure in recent years. Though it’s said he still follows matches and developments closely – not to mention still being involved in discussions on key decisions – his greater detachment has brought questions over his long-term commitment.
Yet it’s appeared that Warnock’s drive, experience and enthusiasm has not only seen Tan hand over his trust in letting the manager and the Britishbased board get on with things, it seems the veteran manager – three years Tan’s elder – has revitalised the owner.
“Things are extremely smooth at the club, and you can see that with the business we have done,” said Choo after new deals for Junior Hoilett, Kadeem Harris, Lee Peltier and one close to agreement on Bruno Manga, as well as four Bosman arrivals in the shape of Nathaniel Mendez-Laing, Callum Paterson, Neil Etheridge and Lee Camp.
“Neil is very happy and things are going in the right direction, while the transfer committee and the board here is actively speaking to Vincent on where the club is going, and he is very supportive. We have to give credit to Vincent for that for allowing us to continue with the good work.”
Good work that includes recognising the club’s wage structure had to be reduced as the impending end of parachute payments, a couple of seasons of below-average attendances and the need to comply with Football League Financial Fair Play rules all come into effect.
The transfer committee has also been keen to bring greater stability after the recent huge turnover of players, hence the recent contracts offered and the understanding of the morale on security for senior men such as Peltier. It’s perhaps not rocket science, but it feels there is a sense of a fresh start at Cardiff having learned from past mistakes.
“The transfer committee is happy that Neil understands the financial situation and he is working closely with us on getting the right balance of doing the business we need and conforming with the FFP rules,” Choo adds.
“Because some of the deals and signings we have made are not just about next season, but about protecting the longer term interest of the club. For instance, the wages we are now paying for some of our signings are very reasonable, especially when you compare with what we were paying when we were relegated from the Premier League.
“Neil has helped with this, his understanding, and with Vincent. Russell (Slade) did quite a bit of good for the club, he cleared a lot of things for us, and I think if we had brought Neil in at that time it would have been difficult for him as well, but Neil has definitely helped. We have the right man to take this club forward.
“I think the club has benefited from Neil’s experience and character in this, as well as in things like fan engagement and we are also looking to have him involved on a commercial angle too. He does need to sleep at some point though and it is important he can focus on football, but we speak almost every day, keeping ourselves updated, and he is very knowledgeable and Vincent sees this.
“Neil’s plans have been very consistent, even before the end of last season. He knew exactly the positions he wanted to strengthen and he was very
Neil was very happy with everything. He was smiling walking out Ken Choo on the meeting between Neil Warnock and Vincent Tan
up front with us. It’s why we have been able to get a lot of business done because the committee and Vincent have been very aware of what is happening. I think you can see the club is very harmonious now.”
There are laughs when it is suggested this is almost un-Cardiff-like, that there is not a rush at the end of the campaign or big-money splurge that more often than not have proved to be big-money flops. Warnock’s ability to get more out of players was seen last term with his work on the existing team, while his bargain-hunting was proven with the addition of Sol Bamba on a free.
Neil Warnock reveals Vincent Tan holds the key for his summer aims at Cardiff City
The talk is of younger, “hungry” players as opposed to high-profile, something associated with Bluebirds in the past, and that “one or two more would get it done”.
But what if Cardiff do find themselves in a position where they can challenge? Will Warnock be backed further by Tan come January if a dream promotion is on?
“You never know in football,” answers Choo. “Of course we want to give it a go, so the answer would be yes, but it depends on the position we are.
“But Vincent has been strong. Look at the offer we had for Sean Morrison. It was a good offer but what is our goal? Vincent was strong, saying we wanted to have a go, that we have already spent a lot of money and if we were not going to have a go he wouldn’t be here. It would have been easy to take the cheque but he is quite calm and focused and strong on what we want to do.”