Manager Neil Warnock Pledges Himself To Bluebirds

Neil Warnock has pledged himself to the Bluebirds – and is in talks on a new contract with chairman Mehmet Dalman.

Manager Warnock’s Cardiff City are unbeaten in six matches and stand second in the Championship table behind Wolves.

They play two matches in four days over the Christmas period, at Bolton Wanderers on Saturday before playing Fulham on Boxing Day (both 3pm).

“I wouldn’t dream of leaving Mehmet and the club part of the way through a season,” said Warnock. “We have spoken and I’m sure we will be speaking over the next few days and few weeks regarding that, but I’m not in a rush.

“If the time comes and I think it’s the right thing for me and the club then I would consider signing another year, likewise if the club aren’t in a rush it doesn’t bother me staying as I am.

“I will be working next year, I’ve made up my mind I will have another season. Either way I’m quite happy, but I will still be working provided that my health is okay.”

Cardiff City owner Vincent Tan with chairman Mehmet Dalman

Warnock, aged 69, has steered the Bluebirds to second place in the Championship and they have three fixtures left in 2017.

They follow their trip to the Macron Stadium, Bolton on Saturday by entertaining Fulham on Boxing Day afternoon and Preston North End on Friday, December 29  (7.45pm).

Owner Vincent Tan, Dalman and chief executive Ken Choo are all keen for Warnock to stay. The Bluebirds manager replaced Paul Trollope at Cardiff in October 2016 and signed an extension in February until the end of this season.

He wants to resolve the matter early in the new year, saying: “I’ve always spoken to Mehmet. We are talking, we just haven’t had time to sort it out really.

“At Christmas Mehmet is coming over for an extended stay and he’s always speaking to Vincent Tan and Ken Choo. We’ll probably have a chat then.

“It’s so busy at the moment, we’re all over the show so I don’t think its a priority.

“We’ll probably get round to it in the new year and have a chat.”

The Bluebirds face a Bolton team, who are fighting for their lives near the foot of the Championship. They are second from bottom, above Birmingham City, have suffered six defeats at home in 11 fixtures and have earned only one win in their last six home and away.

All smiles. Vincent Tan and Cardiff City Neil Warnock do the Ayatollah. Pic: Cardiff City.

Home manager Phil Parkinson expects Cardiff to be strong and physical – and says his Wanderers players will match that muscle.

“We know the physicality of Cardiff and we have to match that,” said Parkinson. “It’s going to be that physical type of Championship game and both teams will have to roll their sleeves up.

“Cardiff have a no-nonsense type of approach at the back. They quite often play three central midfield players, have pace out wide and we have got to make sure we are strong and not leaving ourselves vulnerable to the counter-attack.

“We’ve seen them quite a bit, we know what to expect. They’re not a team who are going to roll the ball out at the back and keep the ball on the edge of their own box.

“They’ll play off the second balls and look to play most of the football in the opposition half. We have to be ready first and foremost to win that first ball plus the second ball and play from there.

“We’ll look to get three points without chasing the game and leaving ourselves open. I think that’s key, winning the games from a strong platform, like most teams do.”

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