Warnock keen on Clyne, but issues a transfer reality check
NEIL Warnock has admitted he was keen on Liverpool’s Nathaniel Clyne, but played down the chances of Cardiff City doing too much business in the January transfer window.
As reported by WalesOnline last month, Cardiff are indeed interested in signing outof-favour right-back Clyne on loan until the end of the season, but Warnock revealed he’s only confident in signing one player next month.
Injuries to a number of Liverpool defenders have complicated the quest to sign the England international, while Warnock was also pressed further on his interest in Nantes forward Emiliano Sala and other targets.
He provided a comprehensive transfer update ahead of Cardiff’s trip to Watford this weekend.
“We’ve spoke about a number of players and even the player we’re talking about signing – as I said to Kevin Blackwell and Ken Choo this week - it doesn’t mean they’re going to be better than what we’ve got,” said Warnock.
”No matter what you pay for a player, it doesn’t guarantee they’re going to hit it off in the Premier League.
“None (of the deals) have moved on, we’re looking at targets all over the show and we’ve crossed a few off this week – and probably added one or two as well.
“It’s nothing to do with price, we just didn’t feel they were right for the club.
“We’ve got to keep things on a level platform and look to improve the squad if we can.”
Warnock admitted finding the right players is proving tougher than he’s ever known, adding: “January is such a difficult window and you can sometimes pay over the top. “It’s as difficult as I’ve ever seen it.” And asked whether there was interest in Clyne, he added: “Yes.
“I know Nathaniel. I gave him his debut, a lovely lad and I know his mother well, she is a wonderful woman.”
The 70-year-old added the caveat of Liverpool’s current injury list, which includes defensive options Trent Alexander-Arnold, Joe Gomez and Joel Matip.
“The thing about that is they’ve had a lot of injuries, they are in European competition, the league and they’ve got to look after themselves. So at the moment it’s very difficult to get anybody to commit to letting us have one for definite – 100 per cent. “We are finding that with everybody. “He’d be one on our list definitely yes,
WATFORD V CARDIFF CITY... ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW
CARDIFF City take on Watford at Vicarage Road this afternoon.
Here’s everything you need to know about the Premier League encounter.
What time is kick-off?
The match gets underway at 3pm this afternoon.
Is it on TV?
Due to the UK’s 3pm blackout laws, the match will not be shown live on television.
You can watch highlights of the game on Match of the Day on BBC One from 10.20pm tonight. They we’re looking for that position but at the moment they have other problems. I don’t think they would bother about us at the moment, they have to look after themselves.”
Pressed further on transfers, Warnock admitted Cardiff lag behind their Premier League rivals not just in spending power, but in terms of their staff.
He would love the Bluebirds to one day appoint a director of football to help out in an area currently managed by chief executive Choo, chairman Mehmet Dalman and Warnock himself.
“Mehmet and Ken are really working hard making numerous calls,” he said.
“We haven’t got a director of football as such so we’re doing it between ourselves.
“Most Premier League clubs have probably got five or six more staff than we’ve got in that area.
“All clubs at this level now have to have a structure in place.
“We’ve ran before we can walk so it’s our own fault really.
“But it’s the same everywhere, we’re short on every aspect: our medical staff, our PR staff.
“But we’re trying to get up, that’s why staying in the league would help because you’ve got another 12 months where you can try and become a better club all round. It’s important.
“The club in the next 10 years, you’ll see a massive difference.
“A manager cannot do everything, there’s just not enough hours in the day. We all need help and that will come in the next few years.”
Warnock also admitted the Bluebirds would have to sell players to make room for new additions in his 25-man squad.
He’s prepared for some tough conversations with those who haven’t forced their way into his first team plans this season.
“There’s always casualties,” he admitted. “You’ve got to look at your squad as and when you know you can get somebody in, you can’t plan for definite.
“There will be certain lads in my mind who will find new pastures as they’re not getting much game time with us.
“It’s always tough telling a player he’ll have to go elsewhere.
“We’ve got to make sure we’ve got better players in first.” will be repeated at 8:30am on the same channel tomorrow.
Alternatively, you can follow the buildup, score updates and reaction from the match on our live blog which will be on WalesOnline from around midday.
What the managers said Javi Gracia (Watford):
“We will respect them a lot. They are in a better moment with confidence with their last results,” Gracia said.
“We know we have to be 100 per cent concentrated and give our best because it will be a demanding game.
“We want to get a victory because the players deserve this reward.”
We’ve got to try and start picking up points away. You get punished a lot more away from home, and it’s been our own fault away - we have shot ourselves in the foot.
“We are learning and we’ve improved as the season has gone on.”You don’t want to lose games away from home, but sometimes the results away are the ones you can’t predict.
Neil Warnock (Cardiff ): Latest betting odds
(Odds courtesy of Sky Bet, correct at time of publishing) Watford win 8/13 Draw 14/5 Cardiff City win 19/4
Who is the referee?
Andy Madley will take charge of proceedings at Vicarage Road.
The West Yorkshire official was the man in the middle for the Bluebirds’ 3-1 Carabao Cup defeat to Norwich City in August.
Match facts
■ This will be the first top-flight meeting between Watford and Cardiff, and the first anywhere since December 2014 (4-2 win for Watford in the second tier).
■ Cardiff City have lost just one of their previous seven games against Watford in all competitions (W3 D3), although that was in the most recent meeting (2-4 in December 2014).
■ Watford are winless in their last three games against Cardiff at Vicarage Road (D2 L1), with their last win in December 2010 (4-1).
Watford have lost their last two Premier League home games – they’ve not lost three in a row at home in the top-flight since April 1988 (a run of five in a row).