Neil Warnock praises work done at Bristol City

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Warnock has praised Bristol City ahead of his side’s Severnside derby meeting with the Robins this Friday evening.

Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock has admitted that he is impressed by the work done at Bristol City in recent years and tips them to ‘go close’ to promotion this season.

The veteran boss took charge of the Bluebirds last week after Paul Trollope lost his job, with the Welsh side currently sitting 23rd in the Championship with just eight points from their opening 11 games and facing a tough test against rivals the Robins this weekend.

Warnock has already signed four new players since joining the club, securing Marouane Chamakh, Kieran Richardson, Sol Bamba and Junior Hoilett on free transfers over the course of the last few days.

Warnock is an unpopular character among the Robins fanbase but he remains an admirer of the club and the work done by chairman Stephen Lansdown and manager Lee Johnson.

In a pre-match media conference, Warnock said: “They’ve done a fantastic job and I’m a big fan of Steve Lansdown. I get the local papers down in the West Country and they’ve done the job gradually.

“He’s always invested and given his manager a chance and Lee’s done the sale of the century really by selling the one lad for £14 million and bringing Tammy Abraham in, it’s the best bit of business in the Championship this year.”

Warnock went on to assess the Robins’ chances this year after an impressive start has left them in fifth spot after 11 games.

He added: “I think they have a very good squad and they’ll go close this year. When I look at the teams at the top no one will notice them at the moment but they have that resolve about them and Lee was linked with Villa last week, all credit to him, he’s showing what he can do.”

Bristol City’s manager Lee Johnson

Warnock’s first game in charge is against the Robins this Friday evening live on Sky Sports and he gave his view on his aims for the Severnside derby.

He added: “We’re hoping we can give them a good game. Although, I’m sure Fulham though that last week and they got beat by four so we’re hoping we’ll do better than that!”

Warnock then concluded by discussing how he will be received by the Bristol fans who have long held a grudge with the 67-year-old. “I’m sure the Bristol fans will give me a warm welcome”, he joked.