‘Paterson’s almost ready... he’s going to a firm favourite for us’
CALLUM Paterson is closing in on a Cardiff City debut with Neil Warnock revealing the Scotland international will be in the Bluebirds squad to face Middlesbrough.
And the veteran manager is adamant he’ll soon show why he’s been worth the wait after tipping the 23-year-old to become a prized asset in no time.
Paterson has not kicked a ball for Cardiff since arriving from Hearts on a Bosman in the summer with Warnock having to persuade the club’s transfer committee to splash out £300,000 in compensation for a player still recovering from serious knee injury.
He was left with cruciate ligament damage and had major surgery after breaking down in an SPL game last Christmas, ruining chances of a potential January move as Cardiff battled with the likes of West Ham for the Scotland full-back’s services.
But Cardiff still went ahead with the deal and, after a series of outings for the club’s Under-23s, Paterson will be part of the senior squad for the first time as the Bluebirds jet to the North East.
Warnock – who is also optimistic Aron Gunnarsson will be available less than one week after being left on crutches with an ankle injury suffered against Birmingham – is unlikely to use Paterson just yet, but it’s a step closer to justifying the Yorkshireman’s faith in him.
And the Cardiff chief said: “He’ll travel and will be in the squad and it’s good for him because he’s going to be a cracking player.
“I’ve put some faith in him but what I said to the owner and the transfer committee was – because it’s difficult to sign a player who’s injured because – that we have to look at the longer term because the £300,000 compensation was an investment.
“And although it didn’t help my squad in pre-season, I felt the club should take my advice because the lad could be worth a lot of money when he’s fit.
“I don’t see much better Scottish full-backs so I think he’ll be pushing for the Scotland team again. He’s still waiting to get back that explosiveness after the injury, he’s still not quite up to scratch going backwards and is a little bit sluggish when people are taking him on.
“But we’re working on his strength now and other than that his stamina is good. He’s a strong lads, he wants to win and score goals and do everything else.
“He’s frustrated at the minute – he kicks one or two in training because he’s not getting a game – but long term he’ll be a big favourite here.”
Warnock will wait on late fitness tests over Gunnarsson, who left the field after only ten minutes of action as sub at St Andrew’s, although the Iceland captain has returned to training with club physios confident he can recover from a jarred ankle.
“He trained quite well and I spoke to him afterwards and he was positive,” said Warnock; Gunnarsson having been left on crutches on Sunday but he rejoined the main group on Friday after a solo session the day before. The 28-year-old will travel north (Cardiff are once again flying to the North East) with Warnock prepared to leave it until matchday morning before making a selection call.
Gunnarsson aside, Warnock admits he would be tempted into changes for the game, but only if it helps him grab a result against Boro – a side he has an impressive individual record against – and not just because of the disappointing manner of defeat to Birmingham last week out.
“You look at the opposition and how they play and work out the best way to get a result really. If means changes yes, but I won’t panic about changes for the sake of it,” he said. “We didn’t know what a new manager was going to bring at Birmingham, with six changes and three who have never played before, it was difficult and we probably blame ourselves a bit – the staff I mean – but there are no excuses like that at Middlesbrough, we know they’re a good side, but we’ve got be prepared better and be ready for that.
“We’re still classed as underdogs I