‘Let’s get these lads to show how good they are’
The summer transfer window is set to close in exactly a month as Neil Warnock continues his preparations for Cardiff City’s return to the Premier League.
The Bluebirds have already added four new players to their ranks having secured promotion from the Championship last term while a host of first team stars have signed new contracts to remain in the Welsh capital.
But Warnock isn’t done yet.
It’s been a manic few weeks already, and the veteran boss is doing all in his power to ensure Cardiff are in the best possible shape ahead of the 2018-19 campaign.
Here’s everything the Yorkshireman told Cardiff City TV about the Bluebirds’ summer so far...
Pre-season
“EVERY time I come back for preseason it’s red hot.
But I think you could see the rewards last year. We’re a fit team and we’ve got to be even fitter this time,” said Warnock.
“There was only a couple the odd pound over but nothing drastic. Everybody had lost weight and toned up. If you can’t be fit to get yourself in the Premier League then there’s something wrong with you. They’ve done their bleep tests and they’re far better than last season.
“The training staff are delighted with it.”
New recruits
“THEY’RE a good group. I’m really delighted and they fit in really well,” he added. We’ve had a bit of a laugh with one or two of them and you’d expect that at every club with new players. You can see they’ll give us another dimension so I’m really looking forward to it.
“Alex Smithies is great for competition with Neil, he’s a smashing lad. You’ve got Greg Cunningham and we had to have another left sided lad. Joe Bennett’s done well and Greg’s in to give him more competition, and he can play centre-half as well.
“Then your strikers, when I look at Bobby Reid and Josh Murphy, they give us something added. That’s what you pay for I suppose. Everybody says they’re untried, but you’ve got to start somewhere.
“You can see how hungry they are in the training sessions.”
New deals and further recruits
“WE worked really hard to try and tie all the lads down from the club to give them an incentive to stay in the division next year,” added the Cardiff boss.
“We’re delighted people like Joe Ralls, he deserved his extension, he’s been magnificent for me. He goes about his job without any problems at all for a manager.
“We’re still hoping to get a couple of loan signings in.
“We’ve got people like Lee Peltier, Matthew Connolly, Sean Morrison who’s extended his contract, and he didn’t even need asking really. It’s fantastic. They all want to be a part of it.
“I must admit, when you look at Nathaniel Mendez-Laing and Junior Hoilett already doing that, I think it’s an exciting time for us.
“All they can do is do their best. I’ve said to them, ‘don’t worry about it’, because they say I’m not a Premier League manager either so don’t worry.
“Not forgetting Callum Paterson and Brian Murphy. Murph’s unbelievable in the dressing room and he’s still a really good agile keeper. I’m delighted to have him around.
“What can you say about Paterson? He’s not a full shilling is he. I asked him what number he wants. He said ‘I want number 13 boss’. Who would have number 13? Only Paterson. But he had a super season last year and the fans have taken him on board. He’ll be an important part.”
On conversations with the hierarchy
“VINCENT Tan, I spoke to him about the wage bill. I knew the wage bill was going to be probably lower than most of them in the Premier League but that doesn’t bother me at all,” added the Yorkshireman.
“I enjoyed my conversations with Vincent. I just said I’m trying to get value for money. He’s supported me with Mehmet Dalman and Ken Choo.”
Aron Gunnarsson’s future
“ARON wanted to repay the club, and Vincent, for the support he’s had here over the past seven years,” revealed Warnock.
“He wants to help us try and stay in the Premier League, and I think that’s great.
“We had a chat six weeks ago [ahead of the World Cup] and he told me he wanted to stay; now we’re looking forward to him coming back in to the group.”
The Cardiff faithful
“AS I said to the players when we came in, we are going to lose three or four games as we did last December. It’s how you react to that and this is when we need the fans like never before,” Warnock concluded.
“It’s going to be buzzing isn’t it. Newcastle as the first home game. The two Murphy brothers on TV. You can’t ask anymore than that.
“No disrespect to the Championship, but looking at those fixtures, you wouldn’t want to be going to some of those places.
“I think we should enjoy it and get these lads to show how good they are. Some of my signings they might be talking about next year going to the very top so I’m happy with what we’ve done.”
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