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"We are net in front for this window and there aren’t many

Sun Aug 11, 2019 12:42 pm

The chance phone call three years ago that led to Cardiff City signing match-winner Isaac Vassell




Warnock: "We are net in front for this window."


Sunday 11th August 2019


Cardiff City's move for Isaac Vassell began way before deadline day. In fact it was a telephone call from a friend and a chance scouting mission in Bodmin three years ago which got the ball in motion to sign their Luton Town match-winner.

Vassell came off the bench against the Hatters on Saturday to score a dramatic injury-time winner to get his Bluebirds career up and running.

It was certainly a good way to introduce himself to his new supporters, and while many Bluebirds fans were clinging to their mobile phones on Thursday in desperate hope of a marquee signing, Neil Warnock was quietly pursuing a deal that was years in the making.

Following a stint as caretaker boss of Queens Park Rangers in 2015, the manager found himself out of work and at his Cornwall retreat when he received a call about a precociously talented striker playing Non-League football.



NEIL WARNOCK:

"Somebody rang me and said I ought to go to Truro," he recalled. "'There is a young lad there who is right up your street'. I was going that way, down past Bodmin, so I nipped down there to watch the game. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. I thought he is going to go somewhere.

"He hadn’t got any experience, he was a raw talent, but I liked everything he did. His runs were great, he played up front, wide left and right, his energy levels were good. Wherever I went I wanted to sign him.

"When I took over at Rotherham (in 2016) I asked him to sign, but he didn’t want to go down that route and he went to Luton. I said to the chairman when he went to Birmingham for £3m ‘do you remember that lad I told you to sign?’"

Indeed Warnock isn't the only manager to spot his potential. Former Tottenham manager Harry Redknapp sang his praises when he signed him at Birmingham City, citing his impressive speed, strength and attitude.


Steve Cotterill, Redknapp's successor, reserved the highest of praise for the 25-year-old winger. "I think he is tremendous," Cotterill said. "I love this kid to death, he is an absolute diamond. He could be proper good."

It is easy, then, to see why Warnock was delighted to sign him. While many will point to his seemingly paltry return of just one goal in 24 appearances for the Blues, it should be noted his rotten luck with injuries.

His time as St Andrew's was blighted by an horrendous rupture of his ACL, which kept him sidelined for over a year, and he was subsequently hamstrung by a dearth of opportunities.

Isaac Vassell of Cardiff City heads to score the winning goal
It appears the timing was right for both parties and when Warnock caught wind of his availability, he wasted little time in tabling an offer.

"I didn’t think he would be available because he has had a good pre-season," Warnock added. "I spoke to Campy (Lee Camp), who is at Birmingham, and he said he was right up my street. He is fully fit and raring to go.

"It was a good opportunity for us to get him at a good price because they were signing a lot of players from abroad."


While he is unlikely to produce 20 goals a season, Warnock is confident his new attacker can cause havoc in the final third and feed the club's more proven hitmen.

"A lot depends on how you play him," Warnock added. "At Birmingham he played with Jay Adams and Lucas Jutkiewicz and he didn’t get many chances to play where I want him to play. If he was a good goalscorer I wouldn’t have got him for that money. I think value for money.

"We are net in front for this window and there aren’t many teams like that. I do like to get value for money."

Re: "We are net in front for this window and there aren’t ma

Sun Aug 11, 2019 2:32 pm

Can tell hes a Yorkshireman I have a close friend who's money mad talks non stop about how he saves money on everything bit like NW? could be a multi millionaire but will still shop at aldi/lidl :laughing6:

Re: "We are net in front for this window and there aren’t ma

Sun Aug 11, 2019 2:41 pm

pembroke allan wrote:Can tell hes a Yorkshireman I have a close friend who's money mad talks non stop about how he saves money on everything bit like NW? could be a multi millionaire but will still shop at aldi/lidl :laughing6:


In fairness they have some decent stuff in Aldi and Lidl.

Would be nice to have the occasional trip to Marks and Spencer every now and again though!

Re: "We are net in front for this window and there aren’t ma

Sun Aug 11, 2019 2:47 pm

davids wrote:
pembroke allan wrote:Can tell hes a Yorkshireman I have a close friend who's money mad talks non stop about how he saves money on everything bit like NW? could be a multi millionaire but will still shop at aldi/lidl :laughing6:


In fairness they have some decent stuff in Aldi and Lidl.

Would be nice to have the occasional trip to Marks and Spencer every now and again though!


Wouldn't know never shop there but like m&s foodstuff! and yes nice to do it every now and then sometimes need that bit of extra quality? :thumbup:

Re: "We are net in front for this window and there aren’t ma

Sun Aug 11, 2019 4:05 pm

Waitrose myself. Love paying over the odds for so I can wrap my sarnies in Waitrose bag. I know people who go into Harrods just for a carry bag.

Re: "We are net in front for this window and there aren’t ma

Sun Aug 11, 2019 4:30 pm

blue lagoon wrote:Waitrose myself. Love paying over the odds for so I can wrap my sarnies in Waitrose bag. I know people who go into Harrods just for a carry bag.





Thats Fulham they think alfhyad is still owner? :laughing6: