Marlon can be the leader of City Pack
CARDIFF City boss Neil Warnock has described his surprise and delight over the signing of Marlon Pack from Bristol City.
The 28-year-old arrived on deadline day amid a flurry of activity at the Cardiff City Stadium.
Bobby Reid left for Fulham, with Warnock adding Pack and Birmingham City’s Isaac Vassell to his playing roster.
With Loic Damour and Greg Cunningham now at Hearts and Blackburn respectively, Warnock knows the options available to him for the coming Championship campaign, and he was over the moon with the capture of Pack.
He said at his pre-Luton press conference: “I’m so delighted to have him. It’s hard to replace players like Aron Gunnarsson, you need talkers and leaders and he was the one we always talked about when we played Bristol.
“He always controlled the area and I was surprised he became available. As soon as he became available I was delighted with that.
“I didn’t think we would get him, I thought it would only happen if Bobby Reid went to Bristol City. But I asked if it was a possibility after Reid decided to go to Fulham and Lee (Johnson) came back and said everything was agreed.”
Pack becomes the latest player with Robins connections to sign for the Bluebirds, following in the footsteps of Reid, Lee Tomlin and Aden Flint in recent summers.
And Warnock was quick to point out what Pack will bring to the Bluebirds, all the while praising the conduct of those in power at Ashton Gate.
He added: “For a manager to have someone like that on the field, it’s like Sol (Bamba) and Gunnarsson, you don’t coach people like that, who talk and tell people what to do. So I was surprised. I just feel we are more of a team.
“We’ve got competition for places now, I thought we were one short in midfield. Three or four in this country, abroad, loanees.
“Bristol City were impeccable with how they dealt with Reid and Marlon Pack. Lee Johnson and Steve Lansdown were spot on.”