PETER SWAN: NEIL WARNOCK "NOT MY CUP OF TEA"

'Neil Warnock is not my cup of tea but you can't deny his talent'
By Peter Swan


Friday 15th December 2017


Football columnist Peter Swan assesses the job Neil Warnock has done at Cardiff ahead of Hull City's trip to Wales


I’ve never been a fan of Neil Warnock. He was my manager twice as a player but not once have I played for him after falling out with him twice.

He just wasn’t my cup of tea, we didn’t get on and I was sold twice as a result. But having said that, there’s no denying his talents as a manager.

He knows what his strengths are and he knows how to get the best out of his side.

He’s not a manager for the footballing purists but he gets results and that is why Cardiff City signed him to replace Paul Trollope last season.

You know what you’re going to get from a Warnock side and the Bluebirds are looking like promotion candidates as a result.

As a result, no matter what result Nigel Adkins got in his first game as Hull City manager this one was always going to be tough.

City haven’t travelled particularly well, over the last two seasons and Adkins must get to work on changing that away day mentality.

They will take confidence from the win over Brentford, but, in my opinion, they got lucky at times during that game and they have to hope for the same if they are to get anything at the Cardiff City Stadium, statistically one of the hardest places to go in the Football League.

Having said that, Cardiff are not unbeatable. They had to rely on a late comeback to snatch a draw at Reading on Monday and with City’s confidence flying high they could pull off a shock.

Fraizer Campbell has been getting better game on game and he will have to be at his best against his former club, while Kamil Grosicki and Jarrod Bowen – if he is fit – can cause havoc down the flanks. The issue for me though is who plays as a number ten.

I liked Jon Toral on Saturday, he came on in the second half and changed the game, but for me he has to become more intelligent.

On the ball he looks excellent, he has that ability to kick start an attack with a simple flick of his foot before delivering the killer pass, as he did to Jackson Irvine on Saturday.

But he has to improve off the ball, the best players know where the space is instinctively, they let the others run before taking advantage.

On the other hand, Irvine does not deserve to lose his spot. The Australian did well in the second half against Brentford and I’m intrigued to see how Adkins handles the competition for places in the City team.

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he's not my cup of tea - He was my manger twice but I didn't play for him once

he's not my cup of tea - He was my manger twice but I didn't play for him once

Not surprised with a surname like that lol

This cliche 'you know what you're going to get from a Warnock side' isn't true. Yes, it's not tippy-tappy possession football, but what I like about him as well as the team spirit and organisation is an ability to change things when plan A isn't working. He's much more flexible than Malky and DJ was a one-system man. So many times his subs have totally altered the game and playing Bamba in midfield worked a few times. I think it was wise to put Hoilett alongside Bogle v Reading, despite what Bellers said. We created a lot.

he's not my cup of tea - He was my manger twice but I didn't play for him once

It made me smile...and then I thought about how disrespectful this guy Swan is to repeatedly refer to Neil Warnock as "Colin W" after accusing hm (Warnock) of showing the same!

Pot, kettle and black are words that spring to mind, as Swan is guilty of gross hypocrisy; not an unfamiliar term where the name 'Swan' is concerned!

So Peter Swan, the 'journalist' who thinks it clever to refer to NW as Colin doesn't appear to realise that an anagram of his own name is Waster Pen. What a stain.

Who?

So Peter Swan, the 'journalist' who thinks it clever to refer to NW as Colin doesn't appear to realise that an anagram of his own name is Waster Pen. What a stain.

Well spotted, sir!