Neil Warnock says Cardiff aspire to emulate Leicester's model
Friday 28 December 2018 12:50, UK
Neil Warnock says Cardiff aspire to be a team like Leicester, who have achieved success despite being rank outsiders.
The Foxes defied the odds when they won the Premier League title in 2015/16 and have continued to hold their own in the top flight.
Leicester have beaten Chelsea and Manchester City in their last two games and are seventh ahead of their match against Cardiff at the King Power Stadium on Saturday.
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Cardiff boss Warnock is inspired by Leicester's achievements and thinks they are an example to clubs in the Premier League.
"They won the league a couple of years ago with the players they've got so they're good players," said Warnock.
"They've improved every year, they've kept their best players. They haven't sold them, they've invested in the squad, and that's been really good management from them.
"When you start on the bottom of the ladder like we are, we've got to look at that model and think that is possible.
"But it's really a slow process and you've got to try and improve it every window and try and keep in the Premier League.
"I was rooting for Leicester when they went to win the league because everyone wants the underdog.
"They're got good players with one of two England players in their squad and quite rightly so."
Cardiff are one place above the relegation zone at the midway point of their first season back in the Premier League and Warnock says they are facing the latest in a long list of recent "battles".
"It's going to be difficult but in the last couple of years we've had challenges thrown at us all the time," he added.
"We've run where we should be walking, we've actually had to sprint.
"First of all it was to avoid relegation to League One, then to try to get a squad to compete in the Championship, then when we were up there to try and keep us up there.
"Then when we got promotion it was: can we improve the squad and how can we stay in the league?
"Every six months it's been an absolute battle for us - maximum requirements.
"All credit to the players, they've really tried and people like Mehmet (Dalman) and Ken (Choo) who support me as they are doing at the moment.
"We're trying to improve the squad for January but it's been such a battle and I think that's why the fans are with us.
"They know how quick things have been. They remember early results in that season before I came. We have come a long way."
