Warnock has warm words after Pep’s night out in the cold

IT was clear Neil Warnock holds Pep Guardiola in the highest esteem when he refused to condemn the Manchester City boss for suggesting Cardiff City were a “longball team”.

Instead, on the eve of the Bluebirds’ big FA Cup clash with the runaway Premier League leaders, Warnock spoke of his pure admiration for Guardiola – the world’s hottest managerial property right now.

The Spaniard watched Cardiff ’s 4-1 third-round replay win over Mansfield, giving Warnock an indication of his eye for detail and the fact Man City won’t be taking the Bluebirds’ lightly.

On Guardiola, Warnock said: “The biggest thing for me was that he was at our replay with Mansfield on the coldest night of the year.

“He sat in the stand and, to me, that is a bit of class.

“He’s got hundreds of staff and yet he came to watch the two teams, I thought ‘well done to him’. It means he cares, you’ve got to take your hat off to that.”

After again claiming Bruno Manga was the only Cardiff player who might get into the Manchester City side, Warnock joked: “I’d still probably rather be in his dressing room than ours, no disrespect to our lads! I wish I had Sergio Aguero.

“But it is nice for me to manage against a team like that and work out how we can try and give them some sort of a game.

“At the same time I want us to try and show what we can do as well.

“It will be good for everybody connected to the club to see the whole razmatazz around this, because it’s not often you get something like this happening.

“The crowd shows how big a club Cardiff is really, selling out last Tuesday, it shows it’s just beneath the surface and it doesn’t take a lot to get everybody back.

“And we’re doing it without spending a lot – we’ve only spent £1.5m net on 11 players and that’s remarkable, and I’m quite enjoying that without spending a fortune and trying to compete with the clubs that are. I think it’s great, me.”

Warnock, who revealed his favourite Man City player was David Silva, also responded to Guardiola’s assertion – reported in the media – that Cardiff were a “long-ball team”.

“He didn’t say we were a long-ball side, he said there would be more long, balls, but journalists don’t let facts get in the way of a good story!,” said the 69-year-old.

“We use our strength. Even if I was Pep, if they are losing at Liverpool with a minute to go, I don’t understand why they would take a short corner.

“I never will understand... put the centre-halves up and try and get an equaliser! But everyone does what is best for them.

“I’ve been in the game as a manager for 37 years and, in terms of scoring goals, I don’t think a lot has changed.

“I like wingers, crosses, shots, tackles and headers.

“Football is exciting if you go into it like that, I don’t want to go home bored.”

City are expected to welcome back England forward Raheem Sterling, with Aguero, Kevin de Bruyne and Warnock’s favourite, Silva, all in contention to feature.

Warnock, who says he has no fresh injury concerns, joked that Cardiff’s training regime this week has been straightforward – as they’ve simply been practising playing without the ball.

Guardiola’s men are expected to dominate, but Warnock is relishing the challenge of Cardiff’s “cup final”.

“We will have a go but it has been the easiest week of training, because we haven’t had a ball,” he added.

“We have just been chasing shadows to get used to it (being out of possession).

“Getting pieces of paper out and letting them chase them in the wind! It’s been great.”

Guardiola, meanwhile, is well aware of what the expect from the Bluebirds, saying: “We know exactly how complicated the game will be. Last season against Huddersfield, we needed a replay.

“It’s a team on top form. Tall team, set-pieces, aggressive one against one.”