End of a War

NEIL HARRIS has admitted it is proving a tough job taking the “war” out of Warnock at Cardiff City.

The Bluebirds manager leads his team to Sheffield Wednesday today, conceding it has been difficult to retrain his troops schooled in the ‘up and at ’em’ tactics of Neil Warnock.

In fact, the military metaphors seem apt when it comes to Camp Cardiff players rejoining the rest of the footballing world after being conditioned to boot first and ask questions later.

“It is getting used to having the football again,” says Harris in a phrase of damning simplicity.

“We have a long way to go. They are set in their ways and if somebody tries to change that, when the pressure is on, they revert back to type.

That’s because they have been well drilled and well trained.

“You have to be relentless with it and repetitive because, ultimately, I want them to be better with the football and create more chances.”

Harris (below) has now been in charge for eight games and after the initial bounce, progress has slowed with three successive draws, the last two of which have been at home.

There are clear signs of a more patient build-up than in the hurly-burly of peak Warnock, but Harris wants his players to be higher on fitness as well as finesse.

“We also want to concede fewer goals and that means being extremely fit. The players are en route to that, but there’s a long way to go.”

Wednesday, fourth in the table, will be a good test but with the transfer window looming it could also be make or break for some Warnock veterans.

Harris added: “You have to have heart and desire. That has to be massive to play for me. Some of the players need to be better at that, otherwise they won’t play.

“That’s not a dig at anybody. They are just the things that I want, so there may be some movement in the transfer window.”