HE’S MADINE HEAVEN FOR BLUEBIRDS
PEP GUARDIOLA said he can’t promise his newly-crowned champions won’t ‘do a Chelsea’ next season.
NEIL WARNOCK believes coughing up £5million for Gary Madine was money well spent, even though the striker has yet to score.
Warnock is more than happy to measure his value in something other than goals, given the impact he has had on players around him.
Since Madine (above) arrived at Cardiff three months ago, Ken Zohore has scored five times and ended an 11-match goal drought.
Warnock is chasing a record eighth promotion and City have two vital games in four days – Nottingham Forest tonight, then a trip to Derby on Tuesday for their game in hand on Fulham.
Warnock said: “I’ll have my critics because strikers are judged on goals, but I believe in Gary because I know what he does for the squad, whether he’s in the team or on the bench. I’m am absolutely delighted I got him.
“We had no Danny Ward, and no other options, and we wouldn’t have been anywhere near where we are now if he hadn’t signed for us.
“He’s spurred on Ken Zohore and it’s brought out the best in him having some competition. He really softened up Norwich last weekend for the first hour before Ken came on to score.
“That was a big factor in why Ken had a bit more space than he would normally have had.”