Neil Warnock amuses reporters in his press conference as he reignites feud with Bristol City fans, and boy is it good to have him back.
The 74 year-old returns to work as a manager at the Championship strugglers, 30 years after he was first appointed to the Yorkshire club.
Between 1993 and 1995, Warnock was their boss for two years. He won the fourth of eight EFL promotions with Terriers in 1994/95.
However, he returns to the club with an entirely different goal in mind. Huddersfield is fighting for Championship survival this term.
This isn’t a difficult task for him, and he was very positive at his first press conference as Huddersfield boss.
Warnock could not resist reviving the friendly feud between himself and Ashton Gate loyalists. This began when Warnock was in charge of Crystal Palace and grew to a crescendo when he assumed control at Cardiff City.
‘I wouldn’t be right for #BristolCity fans to be quiet or to clap me’
Watch: New @htafc Head Coach Neil Warnock says he doesn’t want @BristolCity fans to clap him or have a minute’s silence when he passes away. #htafc pic.twitter.com/7kTpuslO2b
— Arif Ahmed (@ArifAhmedITV) February 16, 2023
Via ITV’s Arif Ahmed, he said: “Can I just clarify this – I’d appreciate you putting this down as well. I only want Bristol City fans to call me a proper name.
“All the rest of the fans, they can have a silent one or clap me or whatever they want when they pass away but Bristol City fans, it wouldn’t be right then clapping or being quiet because they’ve always been what they’re going to call me.”
He told YorkshireLive: “It’s a great challenge really. I always thought if I came back in at some change it’d be end of Feb. I only want to work 10 weeks a year if I’m honest, and it was always going to be a club I love like Huddersfield or Cardiff. She’s (wife Sharon) always said to me, ‘why don’t you do that?’
“I have to say though, it’s asking a lot for us to get in the play-offs.”
🗣️ “I always said I only want to work 10 weeks a year.” 🤣
Neil Warnock gives his first press conference back as Huddersfield manager. 👔 pic.twitter.com/xQK69J6o2x
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) February 16, 2023
“It’s a very special time,” he said. “Ronnie Jepson rollicks me every time we go back in time, because he was convinced we could have gone into the Premier League if I stayed here. But the chairman lied to me and I fell out with him and that’s me really.
“Incidentally I’ve not even signed anything here yet, but that’s by the by isn’t it.
“But I was really taken aback when I came here for the Stoke game earlier this season. I said to Sharon, ‘wow, I didn’t expect that’. We had two Wembley appearances and a lot of people of that age group, it meant a lot to them.
“I’ve got goose pimples talking to you now and I want the fans to be excited. Listen, I can’t tell you if we can do anything like that. We’re odds on favourites to get relegated. But we’ve got to try, give the fans something to shout about and win games.”
Asked if he’ll be able to keep them up, Warnock replied: “I don’t really think about things like that. If they get relegated I won’t be blamed, will I? It’s a piece of cake really. All my career, other managers don’t like to play my teams I don’t think.”
When asked if he was excited at the challenge, he replied: “It’s a great challenge really. I always thought if I came back in at some change it’d be end of Feb. I only want to work ten weeks a year if I’m honest, and it was always going to be a club I love like Huddersfield or Cardiff. She’s always said to me, why don’t you do that?
“I have to say though, it’s asking a lot for us to get in the play-offs.”
On the difference from his time at Rotherham a few years ago: “We had good leaders at Rotherham but there’s not so many leaders here. It’ll be me and Hoggy that have to lead really.
“But they’re great fixtures. You look at the fixtures and you’d have to be a bloody idiot to come here, but that’s what I am thankfully.
“Playing likes of Middlesbrough, Sheffield United, they’re great games.
“I want them to give 100% in training and go home knowing they couldn’t have given more, and I want the fans to know they’re doing that.
“I think the fans will get behind me, I’m sure they’ll be quite relieved.
“I saw Birmingham beat West Brom the other day and they played well, then we’ve got a nice easy one away to Burnley!
“I think people give a lot of hype about age but I don’t think about it. I’m surrounded by young people with my family and everything and I felt I was the one who could help Dean Hoyle, who I’ve been close to for many years. I should have come to Dean when I went to Leeds but I thought I could conquer Ken Bates unfortunately.”
On whether it took much convincing to take the job at Huddersfield: “No, not really. In this particular case Sharon said ‘they need some help, why don’t you?’. It was a clear run really.
“You never lose it. I know the dinosaur thing but it’s very difficult to replicate what you’ve had all them years and I like to think the clubs I’ve been at I’ve left in a better place. I want to do that, and I want to enjoy myself. 74 years old and I feel like a little kid. I’m looking forward to the games.
“I’ve always thought there’s a job for me somewhere, maybe one or two days a week, but people don’t seem to use experience anymore, they think they can do it themselves.
“I just want to enjoy myself. I’ll give it my best and hopefully help them decide what they’re going to do and help stabilise the club really. I’ve always got on well with Dean and his wife. There’s still people at the club who were there when I was – Ann Hough is still knocking about.”
You can read more of what he had to say by clicking HERE.
This is what fans had to say while Neil Warnock amuses reporters in his press conference as he reignites his feud with Bristol City fans…
@DaveNoMercy64: We love to hate him. Least we could do when he passes, hopefully a long way away. Shame we’ve already played Huddersfield at Ashton Gate
@Chrissy___Hall: It’s only because Warnock has always wanted to manage us. So it’s always been a love-hate relationship for years 😂
@BristolOli: Happily Boo you Neil
@RobertH36214611: He always wanted to manage us. Never got his chance. Top top bloke. I personally think he is an absolute diamond.
@Stuu_F: Proper love, hate relationship! I personally love him! Think he’s been amazing for football! I secretly always wanted him as our manager!
@AndrewLgv1: Top bloke 😂
@Hoopsthered: I bumped into him on a street in Looe a few years ago. Stopped for a chat, mostly about City to be fair. He was a top, top bloke that day.
@BCFCJordan: Greatest pantomime villain ever. @warnockofficial
@DavidJohnAdams: If its his wishes I’m sure we’ll only be too happy to go along with his wishes…. in a respectful way obviously 😉
@NeilTheRobin1: Top man is Warnock very few have passion like this man for the game
@Nintendoubt815: Missed getting called a wanker by us so much he took another job in the championship
@jonnyblundra: We live in his head. 🤣🤣🤣
@Richlangley27: Proper minute long tribute of “Neil Warnock is a wanker” will happen and it will be glorious 😍
@bcfclucy: Love him or hate him he’s bloody brilliant for football & in all honesty he would of given his right arm to manage us! Minutes boos ready and waiting Col 😘
@BrettLiddiatt: This dude has a constant hard on for us I swear 🤣
@CBB492: I do wish we got one chance to see Warnocks shithousing reds. I love the bloke
@sutts007: Colin loves ❤️ us, literally obsessed with us! I positive not managing Bristol City is his biggest career disappointment! I’m sure we can manage to observe your wishes Colin, however not for sometime yet I hope 😉😂 #NeilWarnock #BristolCity #HuddersfieldTown #ColinLovesCity
@DaveNoMercy64: We love to hate him. Least we could do when he passes, hopefully a long way away. Shame we’ve already played Huddersfield at Ashton Gate
@Deanwok79: The game has missed characters like him. Great interview. Good luck Colin, you will definitely need it after what I saw last night
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