Going down could bring Iron's buzz back says QPR boss Warnock
GIVEN his reputation as a straight-talker, a man who pulls no punches when it comes to the truth, it is interesting to get Neil Warnock's take on Scunthorpe United's fight against relegation.
Twenty-four hours ahead of his QPR side's visit to Glanford Park, a match in which an away victory would hammer another nail into the Iron's Championship coffin, the 62-year-old has an unusual opinion on United's long-term ambitions.
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THUMBS UP: Neil Warnock is on the verge of leading QPR into the Premier League for the first time in 15 years.
Going down to League One, he says, could actually be a good thing.
Delve beneath the worry of a substantial drop in Football League funding and the ability to bring in on loan the cream of teenage Premier League talent and there may well be a bit of method to what originally sounds like madness.
A former winger at the Old Show Ground, Warnock insists he will always have an affection for the Iron, which is why you believe him when he says he feels the way the season has turned for United has been 'sad'.
But the Sheffield-born boss has every confidence, whatever the outcome tomorrow, or when it comes to Scunthorpe's battle with the drop, it won't take much to get the 'buzz' back at Glanford Park.
"It's sad to see Scunthorpe in the situation they're in, but they're going to get that after so many years at this level because they've done so brilliantly with punching above their weight.
"The directors have been brilliant in my eyes. They've never panicked.
"I know Ian (Baraclough) lost his job, but they've always supported their managers.
"They do things sensibly, Scunny. They realise they aren't a big club in comparison with a lot in this division.
"I think they've gone about things the right way and when you do that, you're going to get the odd blemish like this season.
"But they're quite capable of coming straight back up, that's the way I look at it.
"Going down might not be such a bad thing.
"You need a bit of success and to be winning things.
"I know it sounds daft, but you need promotions here and there and sometimes you have to go down to get that buzz back about the place again."
To read Warnock's thoughts on the Iron's choice to install Alan Knill as their new manager and why QPR have been so successful, see a four page match preview in Friday's Scunthorpe Telegraph.
4 Comments
by CARL LEWIS, DERBY
Friday, April 08 2011, 10:57PM
“Mike ,you really do talk a load of **** ,our board really have no ambition for our club to stay in this league or improve the ground.Which is a great shame because SUFC fans are not stupid and deserve to be treated with more respect."UP THE IRON"!!!”
by Morrisey, HEAVEN KNOWS
Friday, April 08 2011, 5:37PM
“You're right - building the new stand depicted in the SET, with its extra exec boxes and increased capacity would not have raised any interest whatsoever, especially on the back of winning the title.
As for Hooper - he had to go and OBVIOUSLY replacing him was the right move because look at the cash we saved by playing Forte....I agree that the left back has been our best position this term and we've not missed Macaans ability to open up play - better off with Togwell/Hughes/Wright etc huffing and puffing...as for Hayes 'opting for pastures new'....how on Earth could we match the three years that PNE offered?
I stand corrected - we should be building a statue of the board, not Brownsword....at least we kept hold of JB, unlike Thomas who everyone knows was desperate to leave SUFC and wanted more money....IF BT WAS PLAYING TODAY THE SPIN WOULD BE EXACTLY THE SAME AS IT HAS BEEN AROUND HAYES, I DONT EVER RECALL ANY PLAYER LEAVING UNITED WHO HASN'T BEEN SOMEHOW SULLIED BY THE SET/SUFC.
Up the Iron!”
by Mike, Scunthorpe
Friday, April 08 2011, 3:43PM
“Jonny Marr.
What difference will a new stand make to match performances.
How could we not sell Hooper? Williams and Sparrow are no great loss. McCan't was more miss than hit. Hayes opted for pastures new; it was his choice.”
by Jonny Marr, Dublin, Dundee, Humberside
Friday, April 08 2011, 3:32PM
“..'the directors never panic'...
Sacking Baraclough , selling Hooper, losing Macaan, Hayes, Williams and Sparrow...not building the new stand or even the Iron Bar whilst seeing the attendences drop?
We gave up on this season last June - it beggers belief where we would be had we 'paniced' and retained most of last years squad, replaced Hooper and actually built that stand - this current state of throwing our hands up with games remaining with 'we did all we could' is utter BS, we failed because of a total lack of investment, direction or ambition from the board and as a result we miss out on a lot of money and the GREATEST opportunity in our 100plus years of actually expanding beyond a tin pot Div 4 set up.
Up the Iron!”