NEIL WARNOCK “I WAS TURNED DOWN”

NEIL WARNOCK “I WAS TURNED DOWN”

Cardiff City’s new manager claims he was turned down by Nottingham Forest in the summer.

Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock claims he was turned down by Nottingham Forest this summer, in favour of Philippe Montanier.

Neil Warnock had talks with Nottingham Forest this summer.

Warnock has revealed that he spoke to Forest about taking over as manager in the summer.

“I had a chat with them, it’s a lovely club. That’s their prerogative. Two of my best mates are Forest season ticket holders, so they were hoping I’d take it.”

Had Warnock been given the job, it’s fair to say his Forest squad would have looked somewhat different to Montanier’s – it may also be higher up the table, but we’ll avoid going there for now.

One player who may well have followed Warnock to Nottingham is set to feature in Cardiff’s eleven this Saturday.

Warnock said after last Friday’s win against Bristol City: “I spoke to [Sol Bamba] on the pitch at Leeds when I was Rotherham manager and said ‘I wish I could get hold of you’.

“And it turned out that we were both without a club this summer, so I rang him and said ‘wherever I’m going, you’re coming with me’ – and here we are.”

Bamba, who was released by Leeds United on deadline day, duly became one of Warnock’s first recruits at the Cardiff City Stadium and has had an instant impact on the Championship strugglers, who were conceding goals at a rate of almost two per game before the pair’s arrival.

In two games, the giant Ivorian has shipped as many goals – and scored one – to help his side take four points off play-off chasers Bristol City and Sheffield Wednesday.

Cardiff’s Sol Bamba scores their second goal

How Forest, who continue to concede at a rate of almost two goals per game, could do with that sort of transformation at the back.

And, come 5pm on Saturday, their fans may be ruining, not one, but two who got away.