Warnock, whose Cardiff City side face Newcastle United on Saturday, was Gayle’s manager at Crystal Palace.
Neil Warnock has told Wales Online that Newcastle United striker Dwight Gayle is the best finisher he has ever worked with.
Warnock, whose Cardiff City side travel to St. James’ Park on Saturday, managed Gayle for four months at Crystal Palace but admits he could not find a system to suit him.
It was a problem faced by many a Palace manager and is perhaps behind the 26-year-old’s departure from Selhurst Park in the summer.
Newcastle were of course the beneficiaries, shelling out £10 million to sign the former non-league striker, who continues to pay them back in goals – scoring 11 times in 12 league outings so far.
There had been concerns from a Newcastle point of view that Gayle would miss his old boss’s visit, through the injury which kept him out of last weekend’s win at Preston North End.
But, perhaps unfortunately for Warnock, Magpies boss Rafa Benitez has passed fit his top scorer in time for Saturday’s encounter.
The Cardiff boss said of Gayle: “He’s the best finisher I’ve ever had. But we just couldn’t find the system for him. He’s always wanted to be loved and Rafa has loved him and encouraged him.
“He comes alive in the 18-yard box and he would get into anybody’s team. He looks a far more complete player than anything I’ve seen.”
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