We all know what a Neil Warnock side is like.
Many of us have seen enough of those over the years and know exactly what to expect. And on Saturday we were not “disappointed”. They will bark, b*ll*ck and bite, and orchestrate themselves to take it in turns to snuff out any skilful approach play from the opposition, as in when one of them is warned or yellow carded he takes a back seat and somebody else takes his turn to stultify the threat with little short of physical violence.
Ask James Maddison. Ask Moritz Leitner. And ask Josh Murphy, who tends to disappear under this kind of “treatment”.
Off a football pitch some of the stuff dished out would be considered at ABH level.
Daniel Farke said after the match that he was not willing to comment on the officials. Of course he wasn’t – he can get quite a hefty fine for criticising anybody; from the referee to the fourth official.
But as I’m unlikely to be fined by anybody, I’ll say this much: the last thing you need when you’re facing a Warnock side is a referee like Mr Tim Robinson.
If Saturday’s match had meant anything to us my blood would be boiling. Forget the penalty Harry Reed probably should have had – that’s a decision on a single incident and I can live with that if it goes against us. What I cannot forgive Mr Robinson for is his abject failure to stop the Warnock approach at source. I don’t buy into ridiculous notions of bias, bribery or anything of that ilk – just serious, consistent incompetence from the official.
Gary proferred the idea yesterday that Mr Robinson just might have been attempting to allow the game to flow. My ar*e, as Ricky Tomlinson might say.
In the Upper Barclay we thought he’d left his yellow cards in the dressing room.
Cardiff City were an unpleasant side to watch in every respect, overstepped the mark on physical stuff and mugged us at the end of what had been a pretty decent performance from ourselves.
I spoke on Sunday morning to a friend who sits a few rows behind the dugouts. She said that the language – both verbal and bodily – directed at the referee and the fourth official from the visitors’ technical area was the worst she had ever encountered. Intimidation wasn’t in it, she added.
And of course when interviewed for the TV cameras post match, Colin was all sunshine and light. None of the sour grapes stuff this time around because his lot sneaked a win they barely merited and with tactics that would disgrace MMA.
We lost a football match 2-0. I can accept that. We also lost to Wolves and Fulham at Carrow Road by the same margin, but guess what? I didn’t begrudge Wolves or Fulham their victories. They played more than decent football, deserved to win and good luck to them. We turned over Villa – who will surely be the play-off favourites – 3-1. They played decent football also. Their fans knew they’d been beaten by the better side on the day and fair play all round.
What warms the cockles of this old heart is that should Cardiff City reach the PL they will be outplayed, outpassed, destroyed, annihilated and overturned in virtually every single game they play. The referees in the PL are quite naturally of a higher standard in comparison with the EFL and will not stand for the grubby, destructive modus operandi employed by Colin & Co. Colin knows no other way so is the original leopard whose spots will forever remain to haunt him.
He cannot sustain a team in the PL. Recognised truth.
Does he employ the original Wimbledon crazy gang approach? Not quite, but it’s not far off. It won’t work
I never take too much notice of other sides when it doesn’t involve NCFC but in this case I am absolutely rooting for Fulham.
And any other club who can keep Cardiff City and Colin W out of the PL.
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A slightly begrudged but sincerely meant congratulations to Wolves. By far the best side in the Championship and you deserve to have escaped from it. Most of us here at NCFC still don’t like you that much but it’s only fair to say we respect you for your achievement. Well done.
As much as Fulham deserve the promotion over Colin Crockers, I want Cardiff to go up and get thrashed every week. He deserves that at the very least, for his service to football,
We have watched Colin’s sides over the years, never pretty, I thought a Pulis team. with the long ball into the box by any means,was bad, but saturday he surpassed himself , it was I believe the worst he has dished out. But knowing his style it probably wasn’t. I and others have pointed to the success he has had over the years, but no thanks that place in the football world has long passed , like the dinosaurs
I won’t mention the ref as there clearly wasn’t one.
Credit to City for the way they handled a terrible situation, yet again our failings at both ends once again displayed the work that is needed over the summer weeks. All I can say is I hope City get the highest price they can for those that will be sold, then the Smiffs investing more pounds into the playing side . Because it is needed as much as ever.
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Hi Lad
Yes I agree with you. I have never been a fan of Pulisball either, but the other thing he and Colin have in common is that when they turn on the charm in interviews neither seems ostensibly odious on a personal level.
They’re seasoned professionals and there’s no doubting that they know what they’re doing. It’s just that I don’t like what they (and therefore their teams) do.
Gary called Cardiff Neil’s Nigglers, you’ve come up with Colin’s Crockers and I can assure you there were several similar soubriquets applied to them in the Barclay on Saturday I cannot repeat here!
This summer will require some inspired recruitment on what will be a very limited budget.
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Promotion is now Cardiff’s to lose – not sure many will be too disappointed if they do, but, if promotion is secured, Colin will be gone by Christmas. They lack the quality and nous to survive with their current set up.
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Very much agreed Gary. Colin has never cut it at the top level and at 69 years of age I doubt he’ll start now. I was bitterly disappointed at how much the referee let them get away with and as I said above if it had been a meaningful match I would have been more than a little annoyed.
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Good points both – no evidence whatsoever to suggest that Cardiff have what it takes to survive (if they make it), and equally, given our situation of nothingness, it was hard to get *too* angry about all that unfolded.
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Cardiff were very cute in the way they went about stopping us from putting any flowing moves together, with probably 90% of their fouls being within ten yards of the half-way line, and by taking it turns to foul Maddison, Murphy, Leitner, etc. It wasn’t pretty, but it was effective, and at this stage of the season, it was all Colin needed. He would probably have been happy with a draw, but probably also thought that with this referee they stood a good chance of being given a “Ghost penalty”!
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Thanks Jim.
While I agree with every word you say I think much depends on the definition of the word “cute”!
It’s funny how so many of us supporters saw what was going on while Mr Robinson didn’t. Or if he did chose to ignore it.
They won’t get away with it if they get to the PL and that’s for sure.
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I reckon, Colin said to his team, let them play about with it in front of us, rough them up on the half way line, they cannot score and their defence is questionable. In so much he got it right .. for his style and it worked again
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I wouldn’t say you’re too far out in general terms.
The roughing up was a bit nearer to their goal than the halfway line on occasions.
The boy Maddison is too tough a little nut for that sort of side to crack, even without an effective referee.
James Maddison? We’re going to hear a LOT more of him, although he won’t be playing for us when we do.
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So Colin reverted to type and so did we it seems. I concur with the comments that Cardiff will be the whipping boys of the Prem if they go up-I kind of hope they do (good riddance to bad rubbish) but would really like to see Colin show his ‘class’ if they fail due to an isolated incident in a crucial match.
I have been congratulating Wolves fans and encouraging them to look forward to being not quite as good as Burnley and Bournemouth next season. It was also enjoyable seeing the 6th choice Norwich centre back helping Celtic to reach the Scottish Cup Final.
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Yes Don
As much as I’m delighted that Celtic triumphed I am disappointed that Rangers (whoops, nearly said Sevco) won’t want dear old RM back in August after that gig.
A final season of leeching cash via his contract from us for RM then. Oh shucks.
I would guess Wolves might do okay next season tbh.
Thanks for your thoughts.
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The bottom line is Cardiff came here to a do a job and they did it.
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Fair enough. But would you want to turn out and watch them every other week?
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If it got results, absolutely!
If Warnock tried to play the way Farke does for us, Cardiff would be relegated. We’ve got completely the wrong type of manager for a club seeking promotion – which is why we’ve got Daniel Farke. It suits the agenda.
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Sometimes you read an article, and all you have to say is “Hear, hear”. Thanks, Martin – agree with every word.
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Thanks Stewart. Appreciated.
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What surely is almost as astonishing as Mr Robinson’s total ineffectiveness, has to be the total incompetence of the oiks at the Football League who had the termerity to appoint the idiot to another City game so soon after his debacle at Hull…….but then again these are the same people who give us mid-week trips to Sunderland, Middlesbrough and Cardiff.
I thought we played reasonably well, and even Mr Murphy didn’t shirk his responsibilities.
Good luck Colin if you do get promoted. With that type of display you’ll need it.
O T B C
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Great comment John.
Poor old Josh ended up more battered than a portion of fish and chippy haddock. He didn’t “run away” but was certainly kicked out of it.
No protection from referee Robinson at all.
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I don’t agree with the Cardiff baiting. I know Warnock is the pantomime villain for some but for that reason alone to see the likes of him in the Prem going toe to toe with the Pep and co to upset some rhythm would be great. I love a bit of drama, and ultimately they’re the underdogs if they go up and for that they should be celebrated not chastised.
I also can’t agree with Wolves, no congratulations are in order. They bought their way out of the Championship and now are under investigation because of the conflict of interest Mendes represents. And rightly so. But what difference will it make, money talks and the world keeps spinning. Just think last season they only skirted relegation by a narrow margin and this they romped home barely breaking a sweat. They’re a fine example of what money can do to your overall outlook if you attract the correct investors and apply the right infrastructure. The only thing they did correctly with it was get the right head coach and the players to compliment his tactics. Look at Villa, buying up the best of the Championship and has-beens from the Premier league to stutter near the finish line.
Do I have sour grapes in regards to Wolves – yes and no. Yes because it’s becoming what the modern game is about, the vacuum packed pre-fab club that’s far removed from where it came from. It’s difficult to watch clubs like Wolves leap into the stratosphere from zero when we struggle financially to try and do the ‘right thing’ and ek by season to season.
No, because I believe in the grass roots approach we’re applying and the ideology of creating great athletes and decent human beings via the self-sustainable model we’ve instigated.
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I see where you’re coming from re Wolves but they do play some marvellous football by the standards of the EFL and that is really my yardstick.
It’s no different to Watford going up with half the Udinese reserve team in situ – these things happen when truly influential people are at the helm of a club.
Warnock IS a pantomime villain (he’s behind you) and oh boy does he love playing up to the role. I have no disregard for him on a personal level as I’ve said several times, whether in this column or previously. He is extremely effective at what he does.
Your final paragraph is one I admire very much in spirit but unfortunately “crash ‘n’ burn” comes to mind. We’ll see.
Thanks for a great comment.
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I think I might begrudge Wolves achievement a little more. There is obviously no love lost with them and they might well occupy second place behind the binners for clubs worthy of City hate. So given that they have not just bent financial fair play but heaved out a massive, steaming brown trout all over it and bought the title. I respect it only slightly for the style in which they have done it, but to me they have basically cheated to win, worthy of respect? Or condemnation of them and the powers that be, that allow such obvious spending beyond their income.
I had a new canary experience on Saturday, a visit to the top of the terrace for a cavary and a different match experience after a Friend got tickets through a charity auction. The view was good but it was all very surreal with the crowd noise seemingly being piped in from outside. It appeared there was a gentleman with very choice language sitting close to the mic as he on more than one occasion filled the room with his opinions. He was not a Murphy fan that’s for sure!
It wasn’t a classic game, for all of the above reasons. A stronger ref and you fancy we could have done a number on them. Even with that ref, we could/should have won it, But our attack once again misfired. Inspite of Srbeny’s clever flick and one particular bit of quality link up play I think that he is still a big part of an attacking problem that were we still playing now we probably wouldn’t have scored. I can only hope that we find enough budget to get someone in in the summer better suited to the system than him, with a little more polish, because I would still be very worried if he is our first choice striker going into next season.
Back to more important business, the cavary, I have to say considering our cook owner, it was not all that. The beef granted was good and rightly the star of the show, But it was down hill from there. Limited veg, with OK carrots and a soggy cabbage the only options except the spuds. The roast taters were again OK, but if really wouldn’t have been out of place on your £5 a head, budget cavery and then there was the most inexcussable part for me. What appeared to be bought in frozen yorkshire puddings! Delia, sort it out! Add to this the pork option had no crackling, I assume because they couldn’t manage it? And that the chocolate brownie was dry and a pretty underwhelming catering experience. If I was a regular, I would be less than happy with my lot! Maybe the cavary though is a metaphor for our team. Maddison the shining Beef, our defence a fairly palitable gravy, our attack a wet cabbage with frozen pudding up front.
Bah!
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I think I’ve eventually stopped giggling for long enough to respond, in one way or another.
A frozen pudding up front? That’s no way to speak of Oliveira or Srbeny! Or maybe it is.
I have never eaten at Delia’s and never will. Rip off imo.
However I did do a summer season in the late 2000s as a chef at a well-known Broadland riverside outlet. The key to ops was the steamer. Steamed previously-roasted meat, steamed leeks, carrots, cabbage and broccoli. And then there were the spuds.
Peeled in the outside rumbla – if they dropped on the floor while I was smoking never mind – smothered in oil and par-roasted. Never boiled. Then slung in a black bin-liner, put in the fridge until resurrected the next day and… deep-fried. Yum yum.
I’m not saying Delia authorises that kind of thing, but… there are VERY few carveries I would eat in.
Meh!
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The one upside, if Cardiff go up, is that Warnock stated that it was automatic that Wildschut would sign permanently in the event of their elevation to the prem.
I agree, and so would Warnock, that he is out of his depth at the top level.
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I’m slightly unsure as to whether you mean Wildschut or Warnock would be out of their depth at the top level, so I’ll settle for the projection that both would be.
Cos it’s bloody well true!
Thank you for your comment Nick.
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Hi Martin
A great read and summary on Cardiff.
If my memory serves me well, did Man U once request the FA to stop an official from ever doing their games home and away due not trusting him to be fair?
As I and many others have said over the last few days, and you in this article, Warnock will be on the dole by Xmas – the owner Tan said after their last sojourn in the Premiership that he wasn’t willing to spend millions in keeping them there (reminds you of anyone?).
Doing the online Pinkun again, this Saturday the 2 reporters, as usual, did a great job informing us on how the game was progressing and, I for one, reading between the lines was surprised with how well City were playing and how cynical Cardiff were.
The ref needs help and if his assistants are not giving him the flag at times he might have missed fouls, or is this group just inept? I would like to see the stats on how many games they have officiated as a group and what marks they have been given.
The 4th Official has to control the tech areas and report abuse from either side to the ref – if he doesn’t then he gets what he deserves. If he told the Ref and he ignores it then he should report the ref for failing to act but, as before, there is at every game an assessor. So are they doing there job?
Well, the Blues are still marginally above us and that is now the only thing we need to correct before the season draws to its conclusion – so let’s hope for a couple of good wins.
Now comes the transfer rumours – another striker, sort out the goalie situation, get Naismith, Jarvis and Martin out, try and keep Reed, Tettey and Leitner.
We are supposed to be interested in another CB from Germany on a free (wanted to buy him in Jan). With Franke coming back do we need another with Raggett in the wings or is Klose leaving?
Left and right backs needed as back up to what we have will be nice.
Let’s hope that Webber is up and running and he with Team Farke can produce the Rabbit hat trick
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Good stuff Alex.
Yes Bailey and Freezer (I guess it was them because I’m always at the match so don’t know for sure) do a great job on the live Archant thing.
Referee Robinson ignored everything around him – 22 players, his assistants, God himself. I cannot believe that both Gary (yesterday) and myself (today) have centred articles around a referee in a meaningless match. Says it all really.
Next season’s keeper will be Remi Matthews. Let’s wish him well. I have no fears.
The striker issue is another one altogether.
We still have Marco Stiepermann as back-up LB but nothing on the other side if the excellent Harry Reed fails to return. Which I doubt as it looks like Soton are doomed and they will need him at Championship level next season. A big loss – the little guy has been immense.
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