Neil Warnock leaves Cardiff City by mutual consent
Cardiff are looking for a manager after Neil Warnock left his position by mutual consent. The 70-year-old was appointed in October 2016 with the club second from bottom in the Championship and guided them to promotion to the Premier League in 2018.
“Cardiff City can confirm that manager Neil Warnock has left his position by mutual agreement and with immediate effect,” read a statement on the club’s website. Cardiff were relegated after one season back in the top flight and are 14th in the Championship after one win in their past six league matches.
Warnock said: “I am leaving my beloved Bluebirds after over three years in which there have been some of the best days in my long football career.
“I would like to thank Vincent Tan and Ken Choo for their support; Victoria, my secretary, who has had to look after me over the years; Kevin Blackwell and Ronnie Jepson, my ever-faithful sidekicks and friends; and all the backroom staff on both the coaching and the medical sides who have worked tirelessly to help us achieve the success we have had. A special mention also to all of my players, past and present, who have given me everything.”
The Cardiff chairman, Mehmet Dalman, said Warnock had played a huge role in galvanising the club and their fans.
Dalman said: “On behalf of Cardiff City, I thank Neil for his invaluable contribution to the future of this great club. He not only gained promotion in his first season but played a pivotal role in uniting the fans and the club.”
Cardiff snapped a four-game winless run, which included a 1-0 home defeat to Swansea, by beating Birmingham 4-2 earlier this month, but lost 1-0 at home to Bristol City on Saturday. The latest defeat was their fifth in the league this season and left them seven points adrift of the play-off places.
The club were rocked by the death of striker Emiliano Sala in January, who died in a plane crash while travelling from France to join Cardiff from Nantes.