Klopp: Things can only get BETTER
The old warrior Warnock admits keeping Cardiff in the Premier League is the toughest challenge of his 38 years in management... but he is determined to have the time of his life
JURGEN KLOPP has warned Liverpool’s title rivals: We’re going to get MUCH better.
Klopp’s high-flying Reds have taken a maximum 12 points from their opening four games to top the Premier League table.
But the German insists his side are still in “pre-season” mode and have a lot of room for improvement – which is ominous news for other would-be title
THERE is a twinkle in his eye as Neil Warnock faces his toughest challenge.
The Yorkshireman, who will be 70 in December, defied the odds to get Cardiff into the Premier League and now they are stacked against him to keep them up. It is the fourth time he has won promotion to the top flight. And all those earlier spells as boss – with Notts County, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace and QPR – ended in either the sack or relegation. But Warnock is determined to enjoy it this time, savouring every big away trip on what could be his swansong. He said: “It’s my hardest challenge by an absolute mile. Biggest ever. “I always knew it would be. I knew before the end of the season what my budget would be, what I could spend, so I knew it would be a minor miracle. When I took over, who would have said 18 months ago we’d be in the Premier League, turning people away because we’re sold out three or four days before a game? People would say I was in cloud cuckoo land! “The place is just gripped by it. It’s great in a time where there’s a lot of depressing negativity around the world, It’s great that in Cardiff we’ve got something to look forward to each week.” Warnock has had a remarkable 38-year career in management, but taking Cardiff up in May – with the sixth smallest budget in the Championship – is surely his best achievement yet.
The teams that went up with them have approached things differently as Fulham spent over £100million in the summer and Wolves have had a seemingly endless conveyor belt of talent from super agent Jorge Mendes. Cardiff are everyone’s tips to go down yet the stadium is rocking for every home game – they almost upset Arsenal – and that is their best hope of survival. Not everyone buys into romanticising Warnock, but the doubters should give him another chance. “Sol Bamba in the Premier League? Neil Warnock in the Premier League? You what?” he laughed. “Junior Hoilett (above) was in the Under-18s at QPR when I turned up and I think it’s great for everybody. “I’d like to go up to the Premier League, spend £120m, but I can’t see it happening. Yes, I look on with envy at the spending at other clubs. You don’t get opportunities like this very often.
“Like my daughter said, there’s only 20 managers in the Premier League and it’s the best league in the world.
“Whatever happens, we’ll give it the best shot we can with the lads we’ve got. I think we can upset one or two along the way.
“We’ve got to enjoy it. Could have been worse, we could be in the Championship, going all over the place!
“I’m definitely going to enjoy it, this could be my last chance to go to these stadiums.
“I’m very disappointed the Spurs stadium won’t be up and ready for our schedule, but I’m looking forward to every game. The fans are on board and if they weren’t then I don’t think I could do it. They can see what we’re trying to do.
“Life’s too short at my age. You want to do everything yesterday and I don’t want to be bored watching my team, As long as they give me their all, then that’s all I want.
“It’s a challenge. But when you’re driving up to these places, you’ve got to just sit back and have a look where we are. The fans – are they enjoying it? Stamford Bridge next time, then Wembley. Where would you rather go?”
Warnock’s enthusiasm is infectious, but he is not fooling himself.
He shies away from the notion of ending his big-league jinx because he knows how tough it will be. He shies away from moaning about funds because the owner Vincent Tan got his fingers burnt last
time they were promoted, spent big and went down again. The bigger picture for Cardiff is to leave something meaningful behind.
He points to Burnley as the prime example of going up, suffering relegation then using the Premier League cash to return stronger.
Warnock added: “We have laid foundations for the club moving forward, similar to what Burnley did.
“Even at my old age, you’ve got to look to the future and that’s why it’s really exciting for the club.
“We will try our best to stay up – we don’t want to go back to all those horrible places again!”