Cardiff City

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Tan backs Warnock to stay as Cardiff boss

| 07 May 2019

Tan backs Warnock to stay as Cardiff boss

The Bluebirds were relegated from the Premier League after losing to Crystal Palace last weekend.

Neil Warnock has received the support of Cardiff owner Vincent Tan to remain as the club's manager despite relegation from the Premier League.

Warnock seemed to question his own future after Saturday's 3-2 home defeat to Crystal Palace confirmed Cardiff's return to the Sky Bet Championship, with the 70-year-old saying he had "no idea" whether he would be staying.

But Malaysian businessman Tan has delivered a vote of confidence and wants Warnock to attempt to extend his own record of promotions as a manager to nine.

Cardiff City v Crystal Palace – Premier League – Cardiff City Stadium — Cardiff manager Neil Warnock reacts as Cardiff head towards relegation with defeat against Crystal Palace on Saturday. (Simon Galloway/PA)

"I am happy for Neil to stay and achieve his ninth promotion," Tan told BBC Sport Wales.

Warnock has one season left on his Cardiff contract and said he would "let things settle" after the Palace defeat.

Warnock has described the campaign, which concludes at Manchester United on Sunday, as the most difficult season of his 40-year managerial career.

Nantes striker Emiliano Sala was killed in a plane crash in January, two days after Cardiff had announced the 28-year-old as their record £15million signing.

Warnock had identified the Argentinian forward as the man capable of scoring the goals to keep Cardiff in the top flight.

"You think 24 hours a day about whether to carry on," Warnock said in the wake of the Sala tragedy.

"It's probably hit me harder than anyone else as I've met the lad and talked to him for the last six to eight weeks."

Warnock was appointed Cardiff manager in October 2016 and took the Bluebirds up last season – winning a record eighth promotion.

Sala plane crash — The death of Emiliano Sala in January put question marks over whether Neil Warnock would continue as Cardiff manager beyond this season. (Aaron Chown/PA)

The Yorkshireman has worked on the smallest budget in the Premier League, but Cardiff's fate was not sealed until the penultimate game when they joined relegated pair Fulham and Huddersfield.

Warnock was given a rousing ovation at Cardiff City Stadium after the defeat by Palace, and afterwards goalkeeper Neil Etheridge said the players wanted him to stay.

"His stats speak for themselves – eight promotions," Etheridge said.

"He's a fantastic man-manager and knows exactly what to do."

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