Saw Neil Warnock on Sky this afternoon, spitting bile at the ref after his Crystal Palace side lost against Bristol City in the play-offs. Seen from that perspective you can see why he's not on any list of the most popular men in football. In his defence, last night I went to the leaving party of a high powered magazine editor who happens to be a Sheffield United fan and hence one of Warnock's admirers. In putting together a valedictory video his colleagues had contacted Warnock to see if he would agree to take part. He said yes, despite never having known the individual. What's more, he volunteered a Sheffield United shirt signed by the entire (admittedly relegated) team as a gift.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
A classy gesture in a shabby world
Saw Neil Warnock on Sky this afternoon, spitting bile at the ref after his Crystal Palace side lost against Bristol City in the play-offs. Seen from that perspective you can see why he's not on any list of the most popular men in football. In his defence, last night I went to the leaving party of a high powered magazine editor who happens to be a Sheffield United fan and hence one of Warnock's admirers. In putting together a valedictory video his colleagues had contacted Warnock to see if he would agree to take part. He said yes, despite never having known the individual. What's more, he volunteered a Sheffield United shirt signed by the entire (admittedly relegated) team as a gift.
Reading Warnock's column in the Independent he seems like a really nice guy, and yet he is very unpleasant indeed on the subject of referees.
ReplyDeleteAnd one of his Palace players yesterday poured a bucket of water over the Bristol City manager's head, which wasn't a particularly nice thing to do. I wonder if Warnock even voiced his disapproval of that?
John
In football terms, I would say that a far more classy gesture was Roy Hodgson's compassionate concern for the teams relgated at Fulham's expense yesterday. He showed dignity and restraint in victory, and refused to gloat, recognising how close he had come to the same fate.
ReplyDeleteHe may be a nice guy, but he's always been a bad loser. And is it really that great a gesture? Probably 10 minutes work for his P.A. and 10 seconds to sign something for Warnock. A friend of mine got married ot a Man Utd supporter and the Best Man wrote to the club and he got a card from Fergie. They are probably shoved 100s of things to sign each day and I doubt that they know what half of them are.
ReplyDeleteI've always been a Warnock supporter. He is a joy to talk to when you work for the press (for helpfulness as well as quotability), he is thick-skinned, he defends his club and team to the hilt and he is intelligent enough to realise when he has peaked.
ReplyDeleteMost supporters of lesser clubs who have bemoaned him over the years would, at the same time, love to have him as their manager.