The lesson is, old school works for us – Callum

CALLUM Paterson has cited Neil Warnock’s “old school” management as the reason for Cardiff City’s success this season as the Scot opened up on his injury torment.

The former Hearts player, expected to feature for Scotland in their international friendlies against Hungary and Costa Rica in the next few days, has been a revelation for the Bluebirds this term.

Since bouncing back from a cruciate ligament injury in October he has scored eight goals as Cardiff launched their assault on the Championship summit.

Not bad going for a player signed as a right-back, but whose appearances have largely come in central midfield thanks to a Warnock tactical tweak.

“Like you say, he’s old school,” Paterson said of the Bluebirds boss.

“All the other teams around us are playing the new-style football with wing-backs and pass-and-move. But the old school seems to be working at the moment so he’s not going to change that any time soon.

“It’s going well for me at the moment but everyone knows the Championship is a funny old league and anything can happen. We’ve got to be positive and look to go up.”

After cutting his teeth at Tynecastle, earning his international debut for Scotland against Italy in May 2016, it has been a remarkable rise for Paterson.

The 23-year-old was once targeted by West Ham but following a horrendous ACL injury he hit rock bottom, missing 10 months of football.

By the time he was ready to return, however, Paterson had been picked up by Warnock and Cardiff for just £300,000 in compensation for Hearts. And he’s now thriving in the cauldron of the Championship, having scored three goals in his last three games in an advanced no 10 position.

“The Championship is a massive league,” he added.

“It is tough to play there week in, week out. I didn’t get much of a sniff at the start. The team was doing well and I was just coming back from injury. I have shoehorned my way into a position that I am doing well in and I want to try and keep hold of that. The team is doing well at the minute. It is good to be part of it.

“There was the stuff about West Ham being interested in signing me in the January, but nothing was set in stone. Thankfully, Neil took a chance on me last June, when I was still doing my rehab, and thankfully I’ve been able to repay him for that.

“Everything happens for a reason. I have said that in the past. Things can go well at other parts of the season. I am doing really well at the moment. I am happy to be part of Cardiff and happy to be back in the national fold and back playing. It keeps my mind positive and everything else positive.

“It shows that I’m strong-minded and am always positive. Even when I was injured I was always positive. I had a smile on my face and I just got on with it. You play the hand you’ve been dealt. I am happy to back playing and back doing well.

“Right away when I did the injury, that was a low point. Everyone knows a cruciate is nine months to a year. I only had six months left on my contract.

“It wasn’t a good situation for me, my girlfriend, my family. Even my cat was stressed! I’m kidding. My cat is a good guy. Like I said, you’ve got to be positive.”

Paterson’s positivity is paying off for the Bluebirds this season, though he also hopes to further his Scotland career in time.

“He [Warnock] is obviously happy enough for me to get involved with the national team,” added the Scot.

“It reflects well on him and how Cardiff are doing as a team. He is more than happy to get the boys away and get some time with the national team.”