Neil Warnock drops hint he wants to stay at Middlesbrough after Cardiff City comparison

Middlesbrough manager Neil Warnock says he still hasn't talked to chairman Steve Gibson about next season,

Warnock, who has taken Boro to the brink of Championship safety, will come up against his former club this weekend after a successful spell with the Welsh side.

After keeping the Bluebirds up in 2017, Warnock won promotion with Cardiff the following season after he had time to rebuild his squad.

Boro have also been in a relegation scrap this term, hence their change of manager last month.

And while Warnock, 71, says he hasn’t held discussions about staying next season, the way he spoke about Cardiff’s transformation suggested he’s up for the challenge.

“I think it’s a similar situation to when I took over at Cardiff,” said Warnock ahead of Saturday’s match. “It took me the best part of two years to put together the team that’s there now and they are a very difficult side to beat.

“That’s how you have to build, I think we have to build here to be a little bit stronger at the back, legs in midfield and a bit more up front, we need a bit of everything.

“They (Cardiff) know each other inside out now, they know each others’ games, they have a very good substitutes bench that can change a game.”

Warnock is held in high regard at Cardiff following his time there, but says he’s missing the atmosphere that supporters provide.

“That’s why I’m in the game,” said Warnock when asked about the Cardiff fans.

“The fans down there know the club was in a dire situation really on and off the field really and it was great to put it back together again and bring all the fans on board. The bluebirds, the nice blue shirts, it was a special time down there.

“Cardiff’s home ground is a real environment when it’s full, the same as the Riverside, you realise when you are playing in these circumstances just what a good crowd means.

“Hopefully next season they’ll all be back and some sort of support will be allowed back in.”

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