Warnock is hoping ‘unknown’ Loic could be another Drogba
NEIL Warnock has predicted “unknown” signing Loic Damour to be a surprise Cardiff City hit – after revealing he’s been recommended by the same man who told him to sign a young Didier Drogba.
The Bluebirds’ announcement of Damour’s arrival last week had fans scrambling for Google, keen to find out just who the low-profile Frenchman was that had become the latest addition on Warnock’s summer recruitment drive.
Warnock accepts the midfielder from France’s second-tier – where he played for minnows Bourg-Peronnas – is unlikely to have cropped up on anybody’s radar and won’t generate the same buzz as the Bluebirds’ capture of Lee Tomlin, Callum Paterson or Danny Ward.
But now Warnock has told Cardiff supporters that they shouldn’t be surprised if Damour ends up making a name for himself having come with a reference from the same contact who tipped Warnock off about Drogba when he himself was playing in France’s second division.
The Bluebirds boss said: “I know not many people know anything about Damour, but he came from a very good contact I’ve got who I trust 100%.
“He’s recommended three players for me and they’ve all been brilliant. He played for me years ago, a fabulous lad and knows exactly what I want and he’ll come up once or twice a year with somebody.
“It was a few years ago he told me he had a good striker for me in the French second division but he’d cost me £100,000. ‘In the second division?’ I said. I told him that was a lot but he was adamant he was my type, strong and physical, but I told him I couldn’t pay it.
“We didn’t sign him but he didn’t have a bad career; it was Didier Drogba!”
Warnock says he’s reminded of the oversight with a smile every time he sees his contact and laughs that he daren’t turn down the players put his way following his pass on the striker that went on to lift the Premier League and Champions League in a Chelsea career that saw him hit 100 goals for the Blues.
But as well as coming with a backing that he’s a rough diamond perfect for some Warnock polishing, Damour has already made an impression on the wily manager having hit the ground running in preseason.
“He’s come from the French second division, but my contact told me ‘Gaffer, you’ll improve him, you’ll make him a good player’. He’s watched us a couple of times so he know he’ll fit into our team,” said Warnock.
“And since he’s come in I’ve been pleased. I don’t think anyone’s covered ground like he has this pre-season. I don’t think I’ve seen many fitter than him.”
Damour arrived on a free, one of four new faces arriving in south Wales that haven’t needed a fee, with Callum Paterson only costing compensation for Hearts because of his age while it’s not thought the money paid for Danny Ward and Lee Tomlin are much higher than £3m combined.
It’s a change of pace for Cardiff, certainly with some of the players coming in not the usual headlinegrabbers associated with Cardiff ’s seasons past.
“I read the fanzines and what have you and I know some of the names don’t grab you, but the majority of Cardiff fans seem to trust me and know what I’m looking for,” insisted Warnock.
“And I think some of the lesser known people, like Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Loic Damour, they will be as important as the players we’ve signed for big money because I’ve been very pleased with the way they’ve started pre-season.
“I’m happy with our business; Lee Camp and Neil Etheridge have come in to go with Brian Murphy and I’ll be happy with any one of them in goals.
“I’ve mentioned Loic Damour and Mendez-Laing and then you’ve got Danny Ward who is a great lad who I’ve worked with before and I know he can play in different positions and is great to have in the dressing room with you.
“Paterson won’t be available for a bit, but he will become a big favourite here, I think. He’s a very good player and to get him for the sum we did was really good business.
“And then the other day we got in Tomlin who is that last position we needed, as well as it being important we had someone with a good setpiece after Peter Whittingham left us.
“It’s not been easy, it’s not been straightforward, and probably the most difficult six weeks since I’ve been at the club even though we haven’t had a game. It’s when the games come I’ll be happy.
“But the chairman Mehmet (Dalman) has been fantastic, and so has Vincent (Tan) who has been so supportive.
“Both of them, and Ken Choo, have been great, right from the off. I spoke to Vincent last weekend and he was like a little boy he was so excited!
“They know this is not about the money for me.
“I’ve not spent a fortune, I think I’ve been thrifty and I think I’ve got pretty good value for money and so I’m really looking forward to it all now.”