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Neil Warnock: Cardiff City distance themselves from manager's Brexit stance after 'to hell with the rest of the world' comments

Warnock said on Saturday that he 'couldn't wait' to leave the EU

Ed Malyon
Monday 14 January 2019 12:26 GMT
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Neil Warnock urges government to deliver Brexit and says he ‘can’t wait to leave’

Cardiff City have moved to distance themselves from comments made by under-fire manager Neil Warnock about Brexit and the European Union.

The 70-year-old coach unleashed a somewhat bizarre tirade about leaving the EU after being asked about his frustrations in signing players during the January transfer window. Warnock last week criticised Liverpool - branding them 'a disgrace' - after they sent Nathaniel Clyne on loan to Bournemouth when Warnock felt he had been promised the player. He then missed out on the signing of Nice midfielder Adrien Tameze in a move he said "fell through".

Asked whether the UK's exit from the European Union - due to formally occur on March 29 - could harm the chances of Premier League clubs buying players from abroad, Warnock launched an attack on Prime Minister Theresa May's failure to deliver on the 2016 referendum result.

"I think once the country knows what they're doing, it will be straightforward (to make signings)," Warnock said after a disappointing scoreless draw with bottom side Huddersfield.

"Any transfer window is difficult for me, not just this one. I don't know why politicians don't do what the country wants, if I'm honest.

Warnock: "We'll be far better out of the bloody thing"

"They had a referendum and now we see different politicians and everyone else trying to put their foot in it. Why did we have a referendum in the first bloody place?

"I can't wait to get out of it, if I'm honest. I think we'll be far better out of the bloody thing.

"In every aspect. Football-wise as well, absolutely. To hell with the rest of the world."

Following concern expressed by supporters of the club and media requests for comment, Cardiff responded by distancing themselves from Warnock's views

"These comments do not reflect the political position of Cardiff City Football Club, nor its board of directors," a statement released to the Press Association read.

Warnock's comments were inevitably going to raise eyebrows at Cardiff, both at boardroom level and in the dressing room.

Cardiff are owned by Malaysian businessman Vincent Tan and chief executive Ken Choo is also from that country, while chairman Mehmet Dalman was born in Cyprus.

Warnock also has a cosmopolitan dressing room with Canada, Denmark, Gabon, Iceland, the Ivory Coast, the Philippines, the Republic of Ireland and Spain represented in his squad, as well as players drawn from the home nations.

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