The current Cardiff City boss has managed the likes of Huddersfield Town, Sheffield United, Crystal Palace, Queens Park Rangers and Leeds United.
Cardiff City manager Neil Warnock
Neil Warnock has been in management since current Premier League bosses Eddie Howe and Marco Silva were in nappies. The 68-year-old from Sheffield has ‘retired’ more times than Frank Sinatra, but always seems to make a return to the game before too long, and is currently preparing for another long, hard slog in the Championship with Cardiff City next season.
In a 37 year long career in management, Warnock has taken Notts County to the old First Division, Sheffield United and Queens Park Rangers into the Premier League, and also managed the likes of Huddersfield Town, Crystal Palace and Leeds United.
Despite boasting a good win percentage and promotion record, Warnock has struggled to keep teams in the top flight for long. Here is a combined XI made up of some of the best players the experienced boss has managed over the last four decades:
Paddy Kenny
Sheffield United duo Phil Jagielka and Paddy Kenny
In goal, it has to be Paddy Kenny. There have arguably been more talented players between the sticks that Warnock has coached over the years, but the 68-year-old’s love-in with Kenny means he has to be included. The English-born former Ireland international followed Warnock to Sheffield United, Queens Park Rangers, Leeds United and Rotherham United. Surely at 39 he won’t be heading to Cardiff this summer…
Nathaniel Clyne
It’s a step-up in class at right-back. Nathaniel Clyne was just a teenager when he was under Warnock’s stewardship, but he was already a regular at Crystal Palace and already showing the hallmarks of a potential top player. It’s fair to say Clyne’s progression from Southampton to Liverpool to England has come as a surprise to few Palace fans. Former Leeds United full-back Sam Byram also impressed under Warnock, but not quite to the same level at Clyne.
Phil Jagielka
Quite possibly the easiest decision in this entire XI, Phil Jagielka became a real standout player at Sheffield United under Neil Warnock, before heading to Everton where he would become a Premier League regular and an England international. Warnock had only been at Bramall Lane a year when he handed Jagielka his debut aged 18. He certainly repaid the faith shown in him, making 287 appearances over the next seven years, being named the Blades Player of the Year three times and helping the club to promotion to the Premier League.
Jose Fonte
Euro 2016 winner Jose Fonte
Cash-strapped Crystal Palace had no option but to sell Jose Fonte in January 2010, as their financial situation worsened, and it may have been one of the moves that convinced Warnock to leave the Eagles. Like Clyne, Fonte was a player Palace fans knew was destined for big things, and so it proved, as he achieved a double promotion to the Premier League with Southampton, becoming a key man with the Saints and even winning Euro 2016 with Portugal.
Joel Ward
A little out of position, but Joel Ward prides himself on his versatility, and the Palace defender was dependable in a difficult time during Warnock’s brief second stint at Crystal Palace. Ward has now been at Selhurst Park for five years, having joined the Eagles from Portsmouth in 2012.
Michael Brown
Michael Brown was a terrific player for Neil Warnock during his four years at Sheffield United, before being sold to Tottenham Hotspur, where things didn’t really work out for the former England under-21 international. Brown was Manchester City’s Player of the Year in 1998, Sheffield United’s Player of the Year in 2002 and played in an FA Cup final with Portsmouth in 2010. Warnock also managed Brown at Leeds United.
Alejandro Faurlin
Alejandro Faurlin celebrates promotion with Queens Park Rangers
It was almost a full central midfield throwback to Warnock’s time at Sheffield United in midfield, with the two Michael’s – Brown and Tonge – teaming up, but ultimately Alejandro Faurlin has just nicked in. A technically gifted midfield player who helped QPR to the Championship title in 2011, the Argentine may have had more of an impact in the Premier League were it not for some unfortunate injuries.
Wilfried Zaha
The first winger in this team is Wilfried Zaha, a player who Neil Warnock managed in both of his spells at Crystal Palace. Zaha was very young when Warnock was first at the club, and was trying to recover from a difficult time at Manchester United in his second spell. Zaha is now a real threat to any Premier League defence and the star man at Selhurst Park.
Adel Taarabt
Neil Warnock has had a few talented attacking midfielders over the years, but the performances of Adel Taarabt in Queens Park Rangers’ 2010-11 Championship title winning season were sensational. The mercurial midfield player signed from Tottenham scored 19 goals as the Hoops won promotion, deservedly winning the Football League Player of the Year award. Sadly, Taarabt couldn’t replicate those performances in the Premier League and has had fitness and attitude concerns plague his career ever since.
Victor Moses
Premier League champion Victor Moses
On the opposite flank to Wilfried Zaha is Premier League title winner Victor Moses. Transformed into a highly effective right wing-back by Antonio Conte at Chelsea last season, Moses was every bit a winger under Warnock at Crystal Palace. An exciting young player who ended up leaving the club for Wigan Athletic, Moses has since won the Premier League, Europa League and the African Cup of Nations.
Andy Booth
It was a tricky choice up front. Neil Warnock is renowned for signing plenty of strikers, but hasn’t had a genuinely top class one in his ranks. When asked himself who the best strikers he’d coached were, Warnock pointed to Andy Booth and Danny Webber, and we agree with the former. Booth scored 52 goals in 123 games in his first spell at Huddersfield Town, before heading to Sheffield Wednesday and later returning to the Terriers.
Who else could have made Neil Warnock’s combined managerial XI?
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