Neil Warnock is in his element, laughing at the memory of his biggest scalp in the FA Cup, a competition that he has been involved in for 49 years, 37 as a manager, he has just been told. Over the past half-hour he has talked about his mixture of excitement and dread at hosting Manchester City – “we just don’t want to get battered” – his love for how Arsène Wenger defies abuse from supporters and how, as a qualified chiropodist, he still regards himself as the in-growing toenail specialist at Cardiff.
Warnock grins as he recalls that 1-0 win in 1991, against Manchester City at Meadow Lane while he was in charge at Notts County, when he had a back four that “couldn’t pass water” and feels he was first tagged a long-ball merchant. It is apt then that Pep Guardiola’s side visit in the fourth round on Sunday.
“The snow was six foot high at the time and the fans were clearing it off the pitch,” Warnock says. “We didn’t go training in the week, we went sledging at Wollaton Park. It was only when I saw the TV coverage of the sledging I realised how close to a disaster I was because my two keepers, Kevin Blackwell and Steve Cherry, were on the same sledge and missed a massive tree by about quarter of an inch.”
Blackwell, along with Ronnie Jepson, are Warnock’s trusty assistants in south Wales, where the 69-year-old is enjoying every minute, after rediscovering his zest for management two years ago at Rotherham. He has galvanised Cardiff, a club “in turmoil” and “at loggerheads in different areas” when he assumed control in October 2016. “We’re limited in a lot of things that we do,” he says, “but we’re not limited in what’s under the shirts.”
Warnock prides himself on revitalising players, more often than not those with a point to prove, such as Nathaniel Mendez-Laing who arrived on a free transfer from Rochdale last summer. “I love seeing some of my players – the ones who have been discarded by someone else – pick up man of the match or player of the season,” he says. “That’s the kick I get, I get a kick out of seeing my players going through brick walls for me, not opening my bank balance.”
He has done it at most of, if not in all of his 15 previous posts, although Sean Morrison, the Cardiff captain, senses a change in his manager’s persona. “He might have mellowed a bit,” Morrison says. “Maybe 10 years ago he would have come in at half-time, gone mad and given you the hairdryer treatment, but he is much calmer now. He is the best manager I’ve ever worked for.”
His contract expires at the end of the season – “people should be glad I don’t want a long contract, really” – but Morrison believes an eighth promotion would make it difficult for his manager to walk away.
Warnock is charismatic but also a pantomime villain across the country – he wouldn’t have it any other way – and comes alive when drifting off on a tangent about his hopes for when he passes, saying he wants Bristol City supporters “to call Warnock a banker for a minute” instead of a routine 60-second silence.
For now, Warnock is ready for his maiden touchline battle with Guardiola. “I know one thing. I am going to enjoy it,” he says. “Without any points at stake, I won’t get anywhere near as nervous as I would in a league match.”
He does, however, have a word of warning for the Manchester City manager when it comes to his winger, Junior Hoilett, another player he has given a new lease of life. “I just hope he doesn’t put his arm around Junior and tell him he should be doing better,” he says, breaking into laughter. “Because Junior wouldn’t understand him.”
