Warnock: It's up to me to lift the lads

Neil Warnock spoke to the assembled press & media at Cardiff City Stadium following Friday evening’s defeat to Preston North End.

City remain well in the hunt for the Championship’s automatic promotion places, despite Alex Neil’s side stealing a last-minute winner in front of the live TV cameras.

And with the chance of getting back to winning ways set to present itself at Queens Park Rangers on New Year’s Day, the Gaffer gave a hint as to how he would be dealing with a deflated dressing room.

"I think it is up to me now to lift the lads,” said Neil. “I’ve got to smarten it up, do things and change things and make sure we don’t feel sorry for ourselves.

“We won’t get down and we’ll get on with it, but I’ve got to do something in the next few days to give them a lift because it is difficult losing three on the trot.

“We’ll have a good following [at QPR] and the lads will be ready when I’m finished with them because we’re better than that.

“Even with the problems we’ve got injury-wise I think we can do more, but it’s down to me and I have to do something different.”

Tom Clarke’s bundled stoppage time winner gave the visitors the three points at the end of a game in which neither side had many clear-cut chances.

City were thus unable to move back in to the top two - with Bristol City hosting Wolves tomorrow – but the Manager was sure to point out that his admiration for his squad hadn’t diminished.

"I can't fault the effort, they are trying their hardest,” he reflected. “They’ve given me everything, but I was disappointed with the result.

"We lacked a little bit of quality in certain areas. We are lacking in midfield but we only have two fit.

“It’s a sloppy goal and it’s a cruel game sometimes, but when you see the number of lads missing you realise what we’re without.”

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