neil warnock tour cardiff

Neil Warnock

Neil Warnock is an English football manager and former player who was most recently manager of Championship club Middlesbrough. He is also a more...

Fans who like Neil Warnock also like

Matt Le Tissier

Chris Waddle

Peter Beardsley MBE

Mark Crossley

Sir Ian Botham

Paul Merson

Jeff Stelling

Sir Geoff Hurst

Backstage with Neil Warnock as he swaps football for showbusiness

He’s managed teams playing at Wembley and the Millennium Stadium. He’s gone toe to toe with Sir Alex Ferguson, Pep Guardiola and Jurgen Klopp. He has stared down hostile opposition fans many times.

Usually, nothing fazes Neil Warnock, an outspoken figure who once quipped that Bristol City fans — a club where he had several run-ins — should mark his death by chanting “Warnock’s a wanker” rather than a minute’s silence.

Advertisement

Tonight, though, he looks nervous. Tonight is a step into the unknown. Tonight is the opening night of a theatre tour that will take the 73-year-old around the country.

“I’m out of my comfort zone,” Warnock tells The Athletic a few hours before he is due to take to the stage in front of an audience of about 1,450 at St David’s Hall in the Welsh capital.

“There I’ll be, coming out on stage, and everyone looking up at me. I honestly don’t know what to expect.”

One of football’s most outspoken figures is quiet for a moment. But only a moment.

“I imagine it’ll be like going to an FA hearing.

“Though this time, I hope people are prepared to listen to me. I was always allowed to speak when up before the FA but it never did any good. You knew before going in you were going to get done.”

Warnock’s days of almost having his own parking space at Lancaster Gate, Soho Square or Wembley during a career spanning more than four decades and 1,603 competitive fixtures are in the rear-view mirror.

Confirmation of his retirement from management came in the wake of leaving Middlesbrough last November. Since then, there has been media work to keep him busy, including regular spots on Talksport’s breakfast show with Alan Brazil and Ally McCoist, which he thoroughly enjoys.

There has also been plenty of family time, including 30-mile bike rides with wife Sharon near their Cornwall home and an unlikely foray into social media via a Twitter account that has built a following of more than 200,000 in just four months. More of that later.

For now, a tour that will visit many of his managerial career stop-offs — including Sheffield, Cardiff , Huddersfield , Middlesbrough, Plymouth and Scarborough — is occupying his mind.

“I’ve always wanted to talk about stories that previously I’ve not been able to,” says Warnock, whose eight promotions as a manager are a record for English football. “About Arsene Wenger, Sir Alex Ferguson and Brian Clough when I was at Notts County. It will be nice to share them. A chance to put a few things to bed as well.

“It also means people can now ask the quiz question, ‘What have Neil Warnock and The Beatles got in common?’. We’ve both sold out City Hall in Sheffield! That was the place to be when I was a teenager and in my early twenties. I went to all the dances on a Saturday night.

“The timing is right, too. COVID was tough for everyone. I know how hard I worked at Middlesbrough to keep everyone happy behind the scenes. And keep the fans informed.

“Now it’s over, people want to have fun. They want to go to the theatre. And I want to give them a proper night out.”

Even those fans at Bristol City and a few other clubs who still love to hate one of football’s great pantomime villains?

“Of course,” he chuckles. “Even those who I’ve said in the past should boo me when I’m gone. Though I would like to put right that comment. I don’t want everyone, up and down the country, chanting that I’m a wanker. Just Ashton Gate.”

Cardiff, Monday afternoon. Warnock is taking a stroll around a city whose football club he managed for a little over three years.

His stint in south Wales was an eventful one, taking City from the depths of the Championship to the Premier League during his first full season in charge but then being unable to keep them up a year later. In the days before VAR, Cardiff could point to several debatable refereeing decisions to argue their relegation was harsh.

Warnock remains a popular figure in these parts, a point underlined by how many times he and Sharon are stopped for selfies. It was a similar story elsewhere during a recent whistlestop tour of the country, loosely arranged to publicise his upcoming theatre dates.

These strolls down memory lane have left him in a reflective mood, as has the loss of a trusted friend and colleague.

“My old assistant Mick Jones passing away recently brought home how precious life is and how you have to enjoy every day,” says Warnock. “We had some incredible times together. He was the sensible one.

“I’ve managed to get to most of my old clubs. Not Middlesbrough yet, obviously. I thought I’d built a really good team so I was disappointed for it to end as it did . But the reception elsewhere these past few weeks has been great.

“To be on the pitch at Huddersfield, Sheffield United and Scarborough, and see how much the fans remember the promotions, was a great feeling. You don’t get a chance to look back when in management, there’s just too much to do. That’s why it has been great. I’ve been lucky to manage the clubs that I have.”

Revisiting the past during his journey around the country has also brought into sharp focus a retirement that, by his own admission, was a long time coming after four previous declarations to pack it in proved premature.

“My original thought years and years ago was to call it a day after Sheffield United,” he says. “But the circumstances of me leaving (in 2007 after relegation and the controversial Carlos Tevez affair ) didn’t sit right. I couldn’t finish like that.

“I’m pleased I did carry on. Without doing so, I’d never have gone to live in London. I really loved my time at Crystal Palace and QPR.”

Asked what he misses most from those years in management, Warnock replies: “The training ground and the banter with the players, in particular. The dressing room can be a great place.

“I was lucky enough to be invited into the Scarborough dressing room after their 2-2 draw with Bradford Park Avenue last month. The lads had come back from 2-0 down with two late goals to earn a point and I said, ‘You lot will do for me — just what I’d expect from one of my teams, never giving up’.”

Listening to Warnock’s enthusiasm about being back among things does beg the question of whether we might see yet another comeback to rival Frank Sinatra.

“The thing is you can never say never,” he replies with a smile. “And I do always get itchy feet about January.”

Watch this space, clearly. For now, Warnock has more than enough to occupy his time, including one of the more surprising moves for someone who, as a manager, saw little benefit to his players being on social media.

Videos on all manner of subjects have quickly gone viral since joining Twitter in May, including a re-enactment of the time he stared down the lens of a Sky Sports camera before a Premier League game at Cardiff in a style so confrontational that Liam Gallagher would have surely approved.

Walking in to social media… #sociallife #retirement #twitter pic.twitter.com/mpP7rhWf3o — Neil Warnock (@warnockofficial) May 24, 2022

“I did a cycling one up in Scotland that Sharon filmed during the heatwave about not getting dehydrated and it had something like 1.5 million clicks or whatever you call it,” he says, sounding both proud and a tad non-plussed.

“Then there was the one where I am doing keepy-uppies. A bit of a laugh after the Richarlison thing (when the Brazilian was showboating for Spurs recently against Nottingham Forest ). All people seemed to talk about was the size of the shorts I had on.”

Keep on entertaining the fans @richarlison97 and taking the retribution 🤣 #football pic.twitter.com/H3u8IQwPR6 — Neil Warnock (@warnockofficial) August 30, 2022

Not that this surprise move into Twitter hasn’t been without its pitfalls, such as the video where Warnock can be seen steering his boat near Looe Beach, Cornwall, alongside the caption, “Have they announced the new Bond yet?”

“I got into trouble for that,” he says with a grimace. “I didn’t have a life jacket on. Nor did I have a pull cord. One or two people quite rightly called me stupid over Twitter and I agree with them.

“To be honest, I never thought about it. But I will next time we go out. The thing with that video is it happened spontaneously. There was no planning. The boat had been in for repairs and we were just trying it out for a bit of fun.”

Have they announced the new Bond yet? 😎 #FridayFeeling #heatwave #retirement pic.twitter.com/80rKE2t2Ad — Neil Warnock (@warnockofficial) August 12, 2022

Fear of getting into trouble is not what concerns Warnock as he and Sharon arrive at Cardiff’s St David’s Hall shortly before 6pm last Tuesday. Instead, his mind is on stepping into the world of show business.

The couple know the venue from watching veteran songwriter Paul Carrack perform there during Warnock’s stint as Cardiff manager. But this is different, a point brought home when popping into the still-empty auditorium before heading to meet and greet those fans who have bought VIP tickets.

He needn’t have worried. From the moment host Paul Walker, lead commentator on ITV’s Football League Show, introduces Warnock, the audience is firmly onside.

They lap up the stories from a career like few others , including the dozen years as a player that saw Warnock, by his own admission, “make a success out of failure” by chalking up eight clubs, mainly on free moves.

Sol Bamba and Joe Ralls , both members of Warnock’s 2018 promotion-winning Cardiff side, have been lined up as special guests for the second half of the show. The pair appear backstage during the interval, Bamba admitting he found it fascinating to hear his old boss explaining how to get the best out of players.

“Look at how differently he handled me and you,” Bamba says as he turns to Ralls, Cardiff’s current captain. “He’d tear into me every day, knowing I’d be determined to show him. But I can’t remember him telling you off even once.

“Great man-management, when you look back.”

Ralls nods in agreement, though he will later reveal (to much amusement from the audience), how “the gaffer never spoke a word to me for a month after getting sent off at Spurs, not even a ‘hello’.”

Warnock continues to entertain to the last, even reading a poem he had written about all the 16 clubs he managed. A standing ovation follows, plus a massive cheer as he performs the “Ayatollah” celebration that is unique to Cardiff supporters. And then it’s over.

“What a great night,” he says after the theatre has emptied. “I got a bit emotional there, at the end. The reception was incredible. As I said to you beforehand, I honestly had no idea what to expect.

“But they were brilliant. I’m really looking forward to the rest of the tour now. There might be other dates in the future, too. I want to go to places where they used to boo me when I came out of the tunnel. Bristol and Ipswich, first up. Can you imagine?”

Click here for tickets to ‘Neil Warnock – Are You With Me?’

(Top photo: Warnock backstage with Sol Bamba and Joe Ralls)

Get all-access to exclusive stories.

Subscribe to The Athletic for in-depth coverage of your favorite players, teams, leagues and clubs. Try a week on us.

'Are you with me?' Ex Boro boss Neil Warnock announces 'unique' tell all shows - including local date

Neil Warnock is set to take his funny and unique stories from his 40 year football management career on tour this autumn

• 08:31, 7 JUN 2022

Get the latest Boro stories straight to your inbox with our daily newsletter

We have more newsletters

Former Boro manager and football legend Neil Warnock has announced his upcoming tour later in the year.

After retiring from football following an impressive 41 year stint in management, Warnock has taken to Twitter and became something of a social media star in recent weeks. Often seen as outspoken and a popular character in the game, on Monday afternoon he announced his tour, aptly named 'Are You With Me?' - a quote synonymous with his managerial career.

The ' Are You With Me? ' tour will visit some of the towns and cities where he managed over his impressive 40 year stint. He will kick off his tour in Cardiff on Tuesday September 6, ending the tour in Scarborough on Saturday November 19.

READ MORE: Arson probe launched after caravan and car destroyed in Dormanstown blaze

Describing the show on Twitter, Warnock said: "If you're looking for your next big night out, spend it with me. Tickets on sale now!"

Following his retirement, his last job being at Middlesbrough between 2020 and 2021, the show will be based around his lengthy career in football which started at Gainsborough Trinity in the 1980-81 season.

The description of the show reads: "Sixteen clubs, eight promotions, non-league to Premier League. Join Neil Warnock for a unique evening of stories and laughs, looking back at his career in football management."

Although the closest date so far to Teesside is in Scarborough, the event will no doubt be unmissable for football lovers hoping for an insight into one of English football's most well known characters, who will no doubt have a plethora of hilarious and interesting stories from his time on the touch line.

Full tour dates include:

• Cardiff - St David's Hall, Tuesday September 6
• Sheffield City Hall, Friday September 16
• Huddersfield Town Hall, Friday September 23
• Plymouth Pavilions, Friday October 28
• Scarborough Spa, Saturday 19 November

Tickets on sale now via ECM Events.

For breaking news in your area direct to your inbox every day, go here to sign up to our free newsletter

• Middlesbrough FC
• North Yorkshire
• Most Recent

• News & Reviews
• Tours & Tickets

Most features of this page require JavaScript. Please enable JavaScript in your browser.

Eventim UK places great importance on data protection. You can read our data protection statement here .

• To shopping cart

• Neil Warnock

Join record breaking legendary football manager Neil Warnock as he talks you through his unique and astonishing career, in front of a live audience for the first time.

• from £ 31.00

*Ticket prices include VAT and booking fee, but excludes a £1.50 order processing fee and delivery & service fees, which range from £2.50 to £15.00.

Event Information

Neil warnock fan report: ratings and reviews, congratulations you are the first to post a fan report for neil warnock..

Your opinion is an important decision criterion for other visitors to attend an event. Share your experience with future visitors to this event. Please remember to pay attention to our netiquette. Fan reports are released by our editors. We reserve the right not to publish posts that violate our rules.

Your personal recommendations

Your browser does not allow third-party cookies. To continue, please click the button below to open the ticketing page in a new window.

Your browser doesn't allow cookies. To place an order, please change the browser cookie settings and reload this page.

• Dai Gridiron
• Dai Martial
• Dai Rug League

News of sport in Wales

Wales Media Awards Winner 2020

Neil warnock insists usa tour will enable cardiff to tune up for championship.

Neil Warnock insists Cardiff City are making the right pre-season plans this summer after announcing a tour of North America.

The Bluebirds – who are preparing for life back in the Championship after relegation from the Premier League – will play two games in the United States and one in Canada.

Last season, in readiness to take on the likes of Manchester City, Liverpool, Chelsea and others, Cardiff went on a rather more humble trip to Devon and Cornwall.

The benefits were certainly hard to detect as they failed to win any of their first eight league matches.

This time, they will gear up for the new campaign by playing USL Championship teams San Antonio FC and New Mexico United. The USL is one level below the MLS.

The first game against San Antonio will be on July 13, with the second in New Mexico five days later.

The squad will then fly to Canada to play in Edmonton on July 20, against opponents yet to be named.

Manager Warnock said: “I think it’s a great opportunity to get the lads away for ten days and play three tough matches at great facilities.

“We’re also hoping to soon confirm an attractive home match against foreign opposition for the final Saturday before the season starts.”

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)

One thought on “ Neil Warnock Insists USA Tour Will Enable Cardiff To Tune Up For Championship ”

A great stepping stone heading into a new season, this should give a slight indication on Neil’s approach to team formalities.

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

Notify me of new posts by email.

Neil Warnock’s Debut As Cardiff City Manager – Where Are They Now?

August 15, 2023

Hamish Woodward

Neil Warnock had a dream debut as Cardiff City manager, leading his side to a 2-1 victory over Bristol City.

The Severnside Derby is always a tense affair, but Warnock managed to stamp his authority on the match in the early days of his Cardiff City reign.

Goals from Sol Bamba and the late Peter Whittingham steered the Bluebirds to victory, beginning Warnock’s tenure that saw Cardiff reach the lofty heights of the Premier League.

While he tenure ended with near back-to-back relegations from the Premier League to League 1, Neil Warnock remains a legend at the Cardiff City Stadium, and is revered by the Bluebirds’ fans.

Neil Warnock now manages his hometown club Huddersfield Town, and is one of the oldest professional managers in the world today.

Let’s take a look at the players who featured in Warnock’s debut match as Cardiff City coach, and where they are now.

Ben Amos – GK

The former Manchester United keeper only played 16 times on loan at Cardiff City in 2016/17, going back to Bolton after losing his place to Allan McGregor.

He moved around clubs for years, until settling in as the number one keeper at Wigan Athletic, in League One.

Lee Peltier – RB

Lee Peltier started Neil Warnock’s debut match for Cardiff, and started many games under the manager during his tenure.

He left for West Brom in 2020, and now plays for Rotherham in the Championship. He scored his first goal for a decade in 2-1 defeat to Reading F.C.

Steve Morison – CB

The former City captain was released by the club in January 2023, following an ACL at the end of the previous season.

This ended a 9-year stint with Cardiff City, which saw him play nearly 300 matches for the club, captaining them in both the Championship and the Premier League.

Sol Bamba – CB

Signed by Neil Warnock just days before the manager’s Cardiff debut, Sol Bamba immediately slotted in beside Sean Morrison at the heart of defense.

After starring for Cardiff as they won promotion to the Premier League, Bamba left the club following an ACL tear in 2020. He joined Middlesbrough, but later returned to Cardiff City as Assistant Manager, following retirement.

In 2021, he was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkin lymphoma and began undergoing chemotherapy treatment. Four months later in May 2021, he announced that he was cancer-free

Joe Bennett – LB

The third of four players whose Cardiff City careers ended due to an ACL Tear, Joe Bennett will go down as one of Cardiff City’s best players of the 21st century.

He left Cardiff in 2021, and is currently a free agent. Joe Bennett most recently played for Wigan Athletic, but is currently without a club.

Joe Ralls – CM

Joe Ralls is the only player from Neil Warnock’s managerial debut to still play for Cardiff City.

The 29-year-old has played over 300 games for Cardiff City, and recently signed a multi-year contract extension to hopefully end his career with the Bluebirds.

Aron Gunarsson – CM

The former Iceland and Cardiff City Captain was known for his consistent performances in the middle of the park, as well as his incredible long throw-in ability.

Gunarsson left Cardiff City in 2019, joining Qatari club Al-Arabi SC in a move that wildly raised his salary to much higher than Warnock’s side could pay.

His contract with Al-Arabi expired in June 2023, and he is currently a free agent.

Craige Noone – RW

Scottish winger Craige Noone played in Neil Warnock’s first Cardiff City match, but left the club just one season later.

Noone moved to Bolton Wanderers after his release, before moving to Australia to play for Melbourne Victory. He now plays for Macarthur FC, in Sydney.

Peter Whittingham – CAM

Peter Whittingham played 457 matches for Cardiff City, in a glittering career that made him a legend at the club.

He spent one season at Blackburn Rovers before retiring, ending a career as one of the Football League’s all-time great players.

Tragically, Whittingham passed away on 18th March 2020 after suffering an injury in a pub in Barry, watching a Six Nations Rugby game.

Tributes poured in from teammates and fans alike, with teammate Michael Chopra proclaiming him as “Cardiff’s greatest ever player”.

After the release of Leandro Bacuna, Cardiff City retired the number 7 jersey, in honour of Peter Whittingham.

Junior Hoilett – LW

After leaving Cardiff City in 2021, Junior Hoilett joined Reading and began playing as a wing-back.

He provided an assist for Andy Carroll against Manchester United in the FA Cup, earning a contract extension by the club for 2023.

Rickie Lambert – ST

Former Southampton and Liverpool striker Rickie Lambert had a disappointing spell with Cardiff, and did not last long once Neil Warnock took over.

Lambert’s contract with the club was cancelled in June 2017, owing to his high wages and poor performances.

He failed to find a new club after his Cardiff City release, and Rickie Lambert promptly retired from football.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Board index

• General Chat

‘ Neil Warnock Returning to Cardiff’

Cardiff City FC Forum/Messageboard - for all things Cardiff City FC

Cardiff City Forum

Wed Apr 24, 2024 8:53 pm

Powered by phpBB © phpBB Group.

phpBB Mobile / SEO by Artodia .

• All times are UTC

Football League World

Neil warnock's first 5 signings as cardiff city manager - where are they now.

Warnock was very successful as Bluebirds boss, but what are his first signings now up to?

• Junior Hoilett, who was instrumental in Cardiff's promotion-winning year, has signed with Vancouver Whitecaps in the MLS after being released by Reading.
• Sol Bamba, who played a key role in helping Cardiff reach the Premier League, joined forces with Neil Warnock at Middlesbrough and later became an assistant manager at Cardiff before leaving following Erol Bulut's appointment.
• Marouane Chamakh, who joined Cardiff for experience, played only twice before retiring in 2019. Kieran Richardson, who provided options out wide and in midfield, played six times before selling luxury watches. Greg Halford is still playing non-league football with Hashtag United.

In October 2016, Cardiff City would make a managerial appointment that would see them rise back to the upper echelons of English football.

The Bluebirds had a brief stay in the Premier League in the 2013-14 season, but since they had come back down into the Championship, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, Russell Slade and Paul Trollope had all bit the bullet from owner Vincent Tan.

In came Neil Warnock though, who in his first full campaign in charge in South Wales in 2017-18 took Cardiff back to the Premier League, having consolidated them in mid-table in 2016-17.

Warnock lasted in charge until November 2019, but when he first arrived at Cardiff he brought in a raft of new additions in his first few months to try and change the club's fortunes.

Let's take a look at where Warnock's first FIVE signings as Cardiff manager are at now.

Junior Hoilett

With over 50 caps for the Canada national team to his name and several seasons of Premier League football under his belt, Hoilett certainly has had a decent career.

It only took five days for Warnock to bring the winger in the building following his appointment, having worked with him in a previous job with QPR, and in his first season at Cardiff he contributed to seven league goals in 33 appearances.

Hoilett was instrumental in Cardiff's promotion-winning year, netting nine times and notching 11 assists in the Championship, but naturally his effectiveness would wane in the top flight and after nearly five years with the club, he was released in 2021.

Released by Reading over the most recent summer following their drop to League One, Hoilett was actually linked with a reunion recently with Warnock at Huddersfield Town and even trained with the Terriers to keep his fitness up.

However, he has just signed for Vancouver Whitecaps of the MLS in his home nation at the age of 33.

Following Hoilett in through the door at Cardiff a day later was Bamba, who had been urged following his departure from Leeds by Warnock at the time to wait for him to be appointed to his next club so that he could sign him.

It proved to be a fantastic bit of business as the powerful Ivorian had a fantastic 2017-18 season at the Bluebirds, helping the club to the Premier League, and he was also named in the PFA Championship Team of the Year as well, playing all 46 matches and scoring four goals.

Bamba was also a goal threat in the Premier League with four top flight goals for the club, but he was unfortunately part of a side that got relegated after just one year.

Departing City in 2021 after making a heart-warming recovery from cancer, Bamba joined forces with Warnock at Middlesbrough but more recently, Bamba was an assistant manager at Cardiff for the second half of the 2022-23 season alongside Sabri Lamouchi, but he left over the summer following Erol Bulut's appointment.

Marouane Chamakh

Moroccan striker Chamakh hadn't really found much in the way of form since moving from Bordeaux in 2013 to Arsenal, and he found himself a free agent in the summer of 2016 after a stint with Crystal Palace.

Alongside Bamba on the same day at Cardiff came Chamakh, who at the age of 32 at the time would add more experience to Warnock's attacking options.

It never worked out for Chamakh at City though, playing just twice in the Championship before his short-term contract ended in December and that proved to be his last club in football as he retired in 2019 .

Kieran Richardson

Another player added to Warnock's ranks in October 2016 was Richardson, who had played all of his previous football in the Premier League for Man United, West Brom, Sunderland and Aston Villa.

Finding himself a free agent after his summer departure from Villa, Richardson penned a three-month contract with Cardiff to give them options out wide and in midfield, and he played six times under Warnock.

He moved on however when that contract expired and a December 2016 appearance against Wolves proved to be Richardson's last in football, as he didn't get another club after that - he now sells luxury watches .

Greg Halford

Warnock's fifth signing for Cardiff came early on in the January 2017 transfer window when landing utility man Halford from Rotherham United.

Halford played under Warnock for the Millers in early 2016 and despite playing regularly enough for the Yorkshire outfit, they let him depart for Wales.

He spent 18 months at Cardiff, featuring 33 times in all competitions, but Halford was not a frequent starter, and he was released at the end of the 2017-18 season when the Bluebirds were promoted to the Premier League.

Nowadays, at the age of 38, Halford is still playing regularly albeit in non-league with Hashtag United, who play in the seventh tier of English football and are three promotions away from the EFL.

The key questions Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock needs to have answered by end of pre-season tour to North America

There are a number of Bluebirds issues Warnock has to resolve in time for Championship kick-off

• 11:46, 12 JUL 2019

Get the latest Welsh Rugby news analysis and interviews

We have more newsletters

Cardiff City flew out for their three-match pre-season tour to the USA and Canada on Thursday with a number of issues still to be resolved for the Championship opener at Wigan.

Bluebirds boss Neil Warnock will use the games against San Antonio, New Mexico and Spanish La Liga side Real Vallodolid, plus the final friendly at Cardiff City Stadium against Nice, to bed in his plans for the August 3 kick-off.

Warnock's planning has been hampered by the visa issues which prevent Lee Tomlin and Gary Madine from travelling. They were pressing the case to be involved against Wigan, but instead will need to impress out of sight with the under-23 squad which first-team coach Ronnie Jepson takes to Devon and Cornwall.

But there are plenty of other matters for Warnock to ponder Stateside as he seeks to finalise his first-choice Championship line-up.

Here are some of them...

DOES ETHERIDGE REMAIN NUMBER ONE, WHAT ABOUT SMITHIES AND DAY?

Cardiff have two quality goalkeepers on the books in Neil Etheridge and Alex Smithies, while the manager has high hopes of new signing Joe Day from Newport.

If he stays, Etheridge will obviously start the season as first choice again and rightly so. But will bids come in for the £10m-plus rated keeper while Cardiff are away?

If so, and Etheridge were to leave, who out of Smithies and Day would line up against Wigan?

Logic points to Smithies, signed only a year ago for £4m from QPR but who hasn't had any game time. But Warnock has high hopes for Day and reckons he has unearthed another Etheridge in terms of a goalkeeper plucked from the lower leagues who can shine at a higher level.

Let's see how the three of them perform across the Atlantic.

REID, TOMLIN OR PATERSON AT 10?

It's a debate that will likely rage on for most of the summer, and perhaps most of the season.

The sparing use of Bobby Reid baffled fans at times last season, and a repeat this term would be all the more bizarre given his pedigree in this division.

Reid has the advantage on the other contenders in that he's the only one actually heading out on the pre-season tour, but Warnock is likely to keep his options open.

Callum Paterson was used just behind the main striker when Cardiff last went up and his record of 10 goals and five assists suggest he does potentially have the spark needed to shine in the final third. Warnock feels Paterson has the knack of getting into goalscoring positions and also knows he won't lose a defensive shift from him when played further forwards.

Of course, we can't totally rule out Paterson from occasionally being deployed as an out-and-out striker this season, but he's never truly looked capable of making that position his own, despite some encouraging performances in the Premier League.

Taking the number 10 role could be a happy compromise.

Finally, there's Lee Tomlin. On his day, he's one of the most technically gifted attacking players in the division, but not going on tour could well harm his chances, although Warnock has insisted the 30-year old, who's currently in the best shape of his career, is in his plans for the season.

Reid is clearly in pole position, but Warnock loves what Paterson offers. And, if Tomlin is fit, Warnock knows what his guile and vision can bring to the team.

THE ZOHORE QUESTION

For one reason or another, Kenneth Zohore has never quite hit the heights we all hoped he would and make no mistake, this is a massive pre-season for him.

Warnock is well stocked in the striker department, with Madine and Omar Bogle returning on loan to join the likes of Danny Ward and Rhys Healey.

Nevertheless, you can understand why he's keen on getting another body in before the end of the season, with the likes of Famara Diedhiou , Enzo Crivelli and Glenn Murray the most recent to be linked.

Given Warnock prefers a system of one up front, competition has arguably never been so fierce, and he's not exactly been afraid of dropping the Dane in the past.

Warnock expressed frustration at Zohore's showings in training on a couple of occasions last season and, if we're honest, the forward has done little to justify the big money Premier League move he was linked with when Cardiff were last here.

But no-one doubts his talent. That's the frustrating bit. Warnock just hopes he can bring it out on a more regular basis.

The extra competition for places means that it's sink or swim time for Zohore who will surely be facing an uphill battle on his rivals if he puts in a sub-par performance Stateside.

DOES YOUTH FIT IN?

Perhaps the most intriguing sub-plot of this tour is that of the four youngsters set to link up with the first team.

Aaron Bolger, James Waite, Cameron Coxe and Ciaron Brown have all been tipped for big things, and will see this as the ideal chance to impress Warnock and show they have what it takes to make the step up to the first team.

New signing Bolger comes with a glittering recommendation from across the Irish Sea, and is believed to have impressed at under-23 level since arriving from Shamrock Rovers.

Brown and Waite have tasted senior football thanks to loan spells away, while Coxe is understood to be frustrated at the lack of the first team opportunities amid surprising links to Manchester City earlier in the summer.

Warnock will rightly prioritise getting back into the top flight ahead of youth development this season, but this is nevertheless an ideal opportunity to take a look at some of City's most promising young stars.

Will he give them the chance when the season kicks off? Many Cardiff fans would like to see home-grown youngsters given their head again.

THE CENTRE-BACK DILEMMA

We've been here before, but with the arrival of Curtis Nelson, the debate over Cardiff's best centre-back combination is going to crop up once again.

Bruno Manga is arguably one of handful of players in Warnock's squad who truly is Premier League class, but Warnock has always opted for Sean Morrison and Sol Bamba as his first-choice pairing when everybody is fit.

Bamba's injury last season pitched Morrison and Manga together and they did well.

Morrison was a colossus in Cardiff's previous Championship campaign, Warnock loves Bamba.

That's before you think about new arrival Nelson, and indeed forgotten man Matthew Connolly, who looked more than comfortable on the occasions he was called upon two seasons ago.

Bamba isn't out there and looks set to miss the start of the season, but expect plenty of combinations out on tour as Warnock looks to find the winning formula.

THE CENTRE OF MIDFIELD

The capture of Will Vaulks makes a lot of sense when thinking about a Warnock side.

The former Rotherham man has the hallmarks of a player that the Yorkshireman likes, carrying a level of tenacity and steel that will see him fit perfectly into a rough and ready brand of football, which rewards hard work and relies on every man doing their job.

There's just one problem.

In Joe Ralls and Leandro Bacuna, Warnock arguably has three variations of the same player.

Comparing Bacuna with Paul Pogba may well have been seen as a stretch in the eyes of some last season, but it made Warnock's admiration for the former Aston Villa man plain as day. You can read those comments in full here

Bacuna played well in the win at Manchester United.

Meanwhile Joe Ralls has already proven to be a decent performer at this level.

Similarly, Loic Damour proved a useful presence in the centre of the park when Cardiff were last here, and he too will feel he will have something to offer.

Warnock is also intent on signing another midfield man before the season commences.

Many may choose to trot out the cliche of it being a 'nice problem to have', but there doesn't yet appear to be a stand out combination in the centre of the park for Cardiff, and getting the right blend will crucial to any success next season.  

STYLE OF PLAY

The previous point obviously hinges on Warnock sticking with his favoured formation of 4-2-3-1, which is the system he is probably most likely to adopt, with the possibility of reverting to a 4-3-3 if needed.

Warnock's choices at the back could perhaps see him dip his toe into playing the three at the back system that was implemented at the start of the last Championship campaign, although in truth it's not an approach that's really worked out.

Joe Bennett and Lee Peltier are highly accomplished full-backs, but do they have that extra dimension needed to slot into wing-back system? Bennett might be able to offer that, but Peltier is definitely a better defensive right-back than an overlapping one.

But the key to getting the best out of the likes of Bobby Reid, Lee Tomlin, Josh Murphy and the other flair players will be keeping possession more and playing to feet.

Rightly or wrongly, Warnock is historically associated with a more route one approach.

Will he tinker with that a little by experimenting pre-season?

The more Cardiff keep the ball, the more opportunities Reid and co will have to strut their stuff.

• Cardiff City FC
• Most Recent