Neil not pressing panic buttons
Yorkshire Evening Post 31/12/12
By Phil Hay
Neil Warnock insisted today that Leeds United’s resounding defeat to Hull City was no cause for panic as he urged his players to keep faith in their Championship season.
Warnock told his squad to forget about Saturday’s 2-0 loss at the KC Stadium, despite admitting that Leeds received a footballing “lesson” from a consummate Hull team.
The United manager described City’s performance as “superb” and his players were subjected to a review of a one-sided Yorkshire derby after reporting to Thorp Arch for light training yesterday.
Leeds’ match in Hull was the second in a spate of three in seven days, with a home fixture against Bolton Wanderers awaiting them tomorrow, and Warnock was weighing up his options this morning after United slipped five points adrift of the Championship’s play-off zone.
The club lost 4-1 at Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day but were more comprehensively outclassed by Hull, who retained a hold on the league’s second automatic promotion place.
Successive defeats have arrived on the back of a sequence of five wins from six league games and Warnock clung to that form as he looked ahead to the visit of Bolton to Elland Road and the start of the January transfer window.
“Hull were superb and we couldn’t get near them,” Warnock said. “It was a lesson for us and we were in yesterday to have a run-down and a chat about it. We need to come out quickly tomorrow.
“Forget about Hull now. Yes, it’s disappointing but we’ve done well. We’ve won five out of eight games. We’ve got to get back into that form and get straight at Bolton.
“With January here, everybody at the club is positive. We mustn’t let one game deter us from going where we want to go.”
Warnock revealed that “administrative reasons” will prevent him and other Football League managers from signing new players in time for their New Year’s Day fixtures but three players are likely to return to his side having been rested at Hull.
Top scorer Luciano Becchio suffered a thigh strain in the build up to the game and was named on the bench, and Jerome Thomas also sat as an unused substitute with Warnock choosing to protect him for tomorrow’s match. El-Hadji Diouf was omitted from the squad at Hull completely.
Warnock said: “Diouf needed a rest. I knew that when he said to me ‘gaffer, I’ve never played so many games in my life.’
“I also knew that Becchio wouldn’t have played tomorrow if he’d played at Hull because of his thigh and I couldn’t risk him.
“Jerome’s a bit similar. He struggles to play two in four days but I’ll be glad to have those three back against Bolton.”
With the transfer window about to open, Leeds are aiming to secure a deal which will bring former loanee Michael Tonge back to the club from Stoke City prior to Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Birmingham City.
Alan Tate’s loan from Swansea City is also likely to be extended until the end of the season but Warnock is hopeful of bringing new players to Elland Road in the early stages of the January window after describing the weeks ahead as a “vital month.”
A demoralised away following of more than 3,000 watched United’s defeat in Hull and Warnock said: “They need a lift and quite right. Let’s be fair, they’ve been frustrated for a long time. The frustration for them and for me is that we want to be better. But thankfully January’s here.
“We’d like players signed as early as possible but it’s not always as simple as that. Other clubs need replacements if they sell and there are all sorts of factors.
“You can guarantee that the transfer window will be last-minute again – not for us but for everyone. A lot of business will be done right at the end, on the last day. But we are trying to get one or two players in early.”
By Phil Hay
Neil Warnock insisted today that Leeds United’s resounding defeat to Hull City was no cause for panic as he urged his players to keep faith in their Championship season.
Warnock told his squad to forget about Saturday’s 2-0 loss at the KC Stadium, despite admitting that Leeds received a footballing “lesson” from a consummate Hull team.
The United manager described City’s performance as “superb” and his players were subjected to a review of a one-sided Yorkshire derby after reporting to Thorp Arch for light training yesterday.
Leeds’ match in Hull was the second in a spate of three in seven days, with a home fixture against Bolton Wanderers awaiting them tomorrow, and Warnock was weighing up his options this morning after United slipped five points adrift of the Championship’s play-off zone.
The club lost 4-1 at Nottingham Forest on Boxing Day but were more comprehensively outclassed by Hull, who retained a hold on the league’s second automatic promotion place.
Successive defeats have arrived on the back of a sequence of five wins from six league games and Warnock clung to that form as he looked ahead to the visit of Bolton to Elland Road and the start of the January transfer window.
“Hull were superb and we couldn’t get near them,” Warnock said. “It was a lesson for us and we were in yesterday to have a run-down and a chat about it. We need to come out quickly tomorrow.
“Forget about Hull now. Yes, it’s disappointing but we’ve done well. We’ve won five out of eight games. We’ve got to get back into that form and get straight at Bolton.
“With January here, everybody at the club is positive. We mustn’t let one game deter us from going where we want to go.”
Warnock revealed that “administrative reasons” will prevent him and other Football League managers from signing new players in time for their New Year’s Day fixtures but three players are likely to return to his side having been rested at Hull.
Top scorer Luciano Becchio suffered a thigh strain in the build up to the game and was named on the bench, and Jerome Thomas also sat as an unused substitute with Warnock choosing to protect him for tomorrow’s match. El-Hadji Diouf was omitted from the squad at Hull completely.
Warnock said: “Diouf needed a rest. I knew that when he said to me ‘gaffer, I’ve never played so many games in my life.’
“I also knew that Becchio wouldn’t have played tomorrow if he’d played at Hull because of his thigh and I couldn’t risk him.
“Jerome’s a bit similar. He struggles to play two in four days but I’ll be glad to have those three back against Bolton.”
With the transfer window about to open, Leeds are aiming to secure a deal which will bring former loanee Michael Tonge back to the club from Stoke City prior to Saturday’s FA Cup third-round tie against Birmingham City.
Alan Tate’s loan from Swansea City is also likely to be extended until the end of the season but Warnock is hopeful of bringing new players to Elland Road in the early stages of the January window after describing the weeks ahead as a “vital month.”
A demoralised away following of more than 3,000 watched United’s defeat in Hull and Warnock said: “They need a lift and quite right. Let’s be fair, they’ve been frustrated for a long time. The frustration for them and for me is that we want to be better. But thankfully January’s here.
“We’d like players signed as early as possible but it’s not always as simple as that. Other clubs need replacements if they sell and there are all sorts of factors.
“You can guarantee that the transfer window will be last-minute again – not for us but for everyone. A lot of business will be done right at the end, on the last day. But we are trying to get one or two players in early.”