Neil Warnock's response to questions over his Cardiff City job and alleged 'rift' in the dressing room - Wales Online
Nathan Blakes comments squashed by Neil Warnock
Friday 8th March 2019
By Dominic Booth
Neil Warnock dismissed suggestions of a rift in the Cardiff City camp and insisted he was still the best man to lead his side to Premier League survival this season.
The veteran boss was responding to comments made in the media by former Bluebirds Nathan Blake and Danny Gabbidon, who believed the Cardiff team spirit had taken a huge dent in the past week or two.
Consecutive defeats to Watford, Everton and Wolves have left Warnock's team with an uphill battle to stay in the league. They're currently 18th and two points behind nearest rivals Southampton, going into this weekend's clash with West Ham United.
Warnock was adamant that he wasn't worried about murmurs of discontent in the media - and among some supporters.
NEIL WARNOCK:
"I think you get that everywhere you go," he said.
"If it was a majority, I’d be worried. Even last year when we were going for promotion, three weeks to go there were talks about 'is he good enough to take us up?' when we had a few sticky results.
"It does sell newspapers and time on the media side. You've always got people who know better than you making an input. You've just got to do your own thing at times like this. It’s not something I worry too much about, all I’ll do is the best I can.
"If I thought at any time that it would be better to have somebody different in my place, I’d say good luck to them.
"It wouldn’t bother me one bit.
"But I don't think that's the case. I think I'm the best one to get us over the line this year."
And amid suggestions from Blake that the Cardiff dressing room was "splintered" and Gabbidon that "something wasn’t right (with) the team spirit", Warnock issued a stern response.
He said the disappointment among the Cardiff players following the three defeats was perfectly understandable and vowed to put that right in the next nine games.
"Nathan is quite vociferous at certain times," Warnock added.
"I think Danny Gabbidon said it as well. Unless they've been in the dressing room when I've not been around, I don't know... What it is, is when you lose three games, you are flat, your body language is flat, training is not the same.
"Anybody is quite welcome to go and talk to the lads off the record. But I don’t think there’s any rift whatsoever.
"There’s disappointment in the camp. I'd be disappointed myself if there wasn't disappointment in the camp - because I don't like getting beat."
Warnock then issued a message to his Cardiff players to do themselves justice in the relegation run-in.
The Bluebirds will be without talisman Sol Bamba , but the manager has turned to senior pros Aron Gunnarsson and Sean Morrison to inspire the other players in his squad.
"We’ve just got to close our ears," he added.
"We've got to fight like hell to give ourselves a chance.
"In management, it’s all about trying to lift them when they’re down and that doesn’t change really.
"We’ve got some good players who are playing below par.
"It’s about getting the matchwinners into the team and how they can lift the confidence.
"I don't think it's physical, I think it's mentally, really, at this level. To sustain the quality we need at this level, one or two have found it difficult.
"I can't really criticise it too much, because I know they're giving me everything physically.
"All I'm asking them to do now is relax; don't let the worries get on your back now. Play like I know you can play and let other teams worry about us."
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