Neil Warnock: Mark Harris & Ibrahim Meite & Rickie Lambert

Neil Warnock gave his verdict on Mark Harris and Ibrahim Meite as they made their debuts and still Rickie Lambert not fully fit.

The pair made their league debuts against Wigan with Harris starting and Meite coming off the bench



The Cardiff squad was decimated by a sickness bug which meant Declan John and Kenneth Zohore didn't travel to the DW Stadium. Allan McGregor and Brian Murphy were also absent, giving Ben Amos a chance in goal.

But Warnock had long been planning to use the Latics clash as a chance to blood 18-year-old Welsh starlet Harris and Meite, who signed from Harrow Borough in January.



Harris saw the game pass him by during a first half low on quality, and Warnock admitted it wasn't the ideal setting to make your league bow.

Meite came on for the final 10 minutes after replacing Craig Noone.

"I thought he did okay but I felt sorry for him (Mark Harris) because we were so poor in that area," said Warnock.

"I wanted to play him with (Rickie) Lambert but he's not fully fit yet, so I gave Meite his chance, who gave us so much energy when he came on. But unfortunately he had to come on and do a wing job."



With Zohore in need of a break after starting both the Bluebirds' Easter fixtures, Warnock also revealed the illness was a good excuse to rest the big Dane.

He added; "Ken Zohore had a little bit (of illness) but in fairness he needed a rest as well.

"So when he said he didn't feel very well it was an excuse to leave him out.

"The lads did well in the circumstances but overall I think we did well and a draw was a fair result."

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Great to see two of our youngsters playing But Rickie Lambert has to go, so so costly to our club and could go down as one of our worst ever signings.

Great to see two of our youngsters playing But Rickie Lambert has to go, so so costly to our club and could go down as one of our worst ever signings.

Hope people are falling for this illness nonsense Annis, Zohore walking around Cardiff bay completely fine by all accounts, if he wanted to field a weakened side why didn't he just say.. Very poor from Warnock.

Great to see two of our youngsters playing But Rickie Lambert has to go, so so costly to our club and could go down as one of our worst ever signings.

Hope people are falling for this illness nonsense Annis, Zohore walking around Cardiff bay completely fine by all accounts, if he wanted to field a weakened side why didn't he just say.. Very poor from Warnock.

Cardiff fans forever having a pop, you don't get much more honest than Neil Warnock but he's also within his right to protect players as he sees fit. Personally think zohore been asked a lot of, he's done his job and will be fit for Newcastle. In Warnock I trust.

Great to see two of our youngsters playing But Rickie Lambert has to go, so so costly to our club and could go down as one of our worst ever signings.

Hope people are falling for this illness nonsense Annis, Zohore walking around Cardiff bay completely fine by all accounts, if he wanted to field a weakened side why didn't he just say.. Very poor from Warnock.

Warnock said ref Kenneth it was 'more of an excuse than anything to give him a rest'.

He said he wasn't that bad just felt a bit rough and needed a rest, so what he was walking about town? Should he have been grounded?

It was great seeing the two youngsters get some playing time. I thought Harris did ok - not much chance to shine in a game where we had no strike force and the ball kept flying over his head for the whole time he was on. Nice to see him get some game time.

Meite certainly looked very pacy, even if he was slightly like a headless chicken for the 10 minutes he was on the pitch! Hope he gets more of a chance in the next two games because he looked like he might cause a problem or two given a longer run out.

Lambert might as well have stayed on the bench - makes a slug look like Usain Bolt. i would say that he won a couple of headers but to be honest I think he was just standing still when the ball happened to appear from outer space and hit him on the head.

Well worth the wages.

Great to see two of our youngsters playing But Rickie Lambert has to go, so so costly to our club and could go down as one of our worst ever signings.

Hope people are falling for this illness nonsense Annis, Zohore walking around Cardiff bay completely fine by all accounts, if he wanted to field a weakened side why didn't he just say.. Very poor from Warnock.

Cardiff fans forever having a pop, you don't get much more honest than Neil Warnock but he's also within his right to protect players as he sees fit. Personally think zohore been asked a lot of, he's done his job and will be fit for Newcastle. In Warnock I trust.

Agree zahore needed a rest

I would try Meite alongside Zohore against Newcastle.

Nothing wrong with a rest but there was no need to cover up with a lie.

Nothing wrong with a rest but there was no need to cover up with a lie.

Bit OTT as I doubt the FA or FL will launch an enquiry?

Nothing wrong with a rest but there was no need to cover up with a lie.

Bit OTT as I doubt the FA or FL will launch an enquiry?

Typically thoughtless comment from a poster (in this case DandoCCFC) who didn't read into what was said...

Zohore wasn't as bad as certain others but Neil Warnock told him to stay behind as a precaution and by doing so, it gave him a much needed rest

Quote (NeilWarnock) "Ken Zohore had a little bit (of illness) but in fairness he needed a rest as well.

"So when he said he didn't feel very well it was an excuse to leave him out.

Call off the dogs, Dando!

I hate hear this players need a break bull shit, Zahore had 2 weeks off for the international break recently and now he needs another break. Get flippn' real, is it that hard to run around football pitch for an hour and a half once or twice a week?

Nothing wrong with a rest but there was no need to cover up with a lie.

Read it. No cover up.

I hate hear this players need a break bull shit, Zahore had 2 weeks off for the international break recently and now he needs another break. Get faffing real, is it that hard to run around football pitch for an hour and a half once or twice a week?

i think at this level players generally have never been so fit which of course means who they are up against are equally as fit and sharper.which makes the modern game more demanding than it once was.
if it was just younger managers saying things about rest and recovery fair enough but when you have old stagers like Warnock saying it ,there must be something in it.?