Neil Warnock's Weekly Column...On His Transfers Independent Neil Warnock: I was like a character in a farce â opening and closing doors as deadline-day deals were struck What I Learnt This Week Saturday, 10 September 2011 What a difference a takeover makes! Two weeks ago I could barely fill the teamsheet at Wigan. Now I'm trying to work out who to leave out for Monday's match against Newcastle. To give you an idea how much has changed, Patrick Agyemang started at Everton two games ago; this week I had to tell him he's not in my 25-man Premier League squad. When Tony Fernandes said to me: "Who do you want?", I gave him my list more in hope than expectation. When he said: "Go and get them", it was one of those moments when you feel like saying: "Pardon. Will you repeat that?" That started the most demanding period of my management career with the last few days just exhausting. It was a real baptism of fire for our new chief executive Phil Beard, who must have wished he had kept to his original start date of 1 September instead of volunteering to begin early and help us out. I had enough trouble getting Joey Barton and Luke Young over the line the previous week but that was nothing to deadline day. At one stage we had negotiations going on in three different executive boxes at the ground trying to finalise contracts with clubs and agents. I felt like a character in one of Brian Rix's old farces as I opened and closed doors up and down the corridor. After the Ali Faurlin saga last season, we wanted to make sure everything was done meticulously and while I was disappointed at the administrative issues which meant Luke wasn't able to play at Wigan, the girls in the office were magnificent on the night. So were Tony and Amit Bhatia. They both helped sell the club to players, which in Tony's case meant being available on the phone even though he was in Malaysia, seven hours ahead. The first one signed was Armand Traoré. That had been arranged for some time but modern contracts have so many pages on them we still didn't get the forms faxed off until the evening. I wanted to play Armand at Wigan but Arsenal had their own problems with injuries and suspensions and Arsène wanted him to play at Old Trafford. Well you all know what happened there. Come Monday I phoned Richard Law, who deals with transfers at Arsenal, and asked him whether they would now pay us to take him off their hands. He had a laugh, but would not reduce the fee. Shaun Wright-Phillips was next to sign but I was still in a box with him on Wednesday night when I looked at the TV and saw Jason Puncheon entering Loftus Road. It was a surprise as I thought that deal had stalled. It turned out his agent had told him to hang around near the ground in case it could be sorted out, but instead of finding a restaurant nearby he came in. That was an expensive error, because Southampton were also watching and they had not given us permission to talk to him. They immediately put the loan fee up 25 per cent. I said there's no way I was going to pay that because we hadn't asked Jason to come. They didn't believe me, and I probably wouldn't either in the same situation. So we were at a stand-off when Jason said he'd pay the difference. I was impressed. Everyone thinks players are "take, take, take", but here was one so desperate to play for us he footed the bill . By then I knew I'd missed out on one target after Craig Bellamy rang me himself to say he was going to Liverpool. I like it when players show a manager respect like that, and I told him I couldn't really blame him with what Kenny looks to be building up there. I also missed out on Sébastien Bassong. That was one of those deals which are like buying a house. Harry couldn't afford to release him unless he had signed Gary Cahill. It was now about 10.10pm, and then the phone rang. It was my physio, Nigel Cox. He was on his way to the ground with Anton Ferdinand after conducting a medical. In a trembling voice he explained there'd been an accident and they were stuck in traffic. I won't tell you my exact words as this is a family newspaper, but I told him to make it, whatever it took. At 10.30pm, Nigel rang back to say they were 10 minutes away. Shaun's forms were now being sent and I was talking to Jason. Anton came running into the building and he and his agent read the forms as quick as they could. Jason and I shook hands and we sent his forms off â fortunately being a loan there was no medical. Then the clock struck 11. Outside, Sky TV were still waiting so I did interviews with them and some other media. By the time I got to my car it was after midnight. My mind was a whirl and I knew I'd never sleep. I'd planned to drive down in the morning to Cornwall. Instead I went straight there. It was great to get away, but even in the countryside it took me three days to come down from feeling like a zombie. 2. If Becks comes to London, Spurs have the inside track You never say never, not when the owner has delivered Joey Barton and Shaun Wright-Phillips, but despite what you may have read elsewhere I don't think we'll be adding David Beckham to our list of signings. I'm a great admirer of David, but if he does come back to play in England I'm sure Tottenham will be his destination. He trained there last season and Harry nearly signed him. He also has a family connection as his grandad used to support Spurs. The tale did create a stir â I was even interviewed by a radio station in Los Angeles. 3. I feel for my promotion lads who endured unkindest cut I'm really looking forward to Monday's match. I've a lot of time for Alan Pardew, whose achievements have been underrated, and it always feels like an occasion playing Newcastle because of their fans. Last time they came here it was the final day of the 2009-10 season and they were in great voice as they were celebrating promotion. I remember turning to Keith Curle and saying, "Wouldn't it be nice if that was us in a year's time?", but in my wildest dreams I did not think it would happen because we needed so many new players. As you know, we did it, but whereas Newcastle went up with what was still a Premier League squad we had players from all over. I've nothing but praise for the way they performed but the lads realise that having come so far so quickly we did need help, hence the activity on deadline day. The downside is I have had to tell some who have taken us up they would not be in the 25. As well as Agyemang, Rob Hulse, Hogan Ephraim, Petter Vaagen Moen and Danny ****tu did not make the cut. I insisted they all appeared in our team photograph on Thursday, but now I'll be looking to get them loaned to Championship clubs to get some playing time. In case you're wondering, Joey's been excellent in training. He's given the whole place a lift. Adel's also looking sharp. He organised a week at a fitness place in France off his own bat. 4. Bug has me wearing mask and sleeping in a bunk bed It is like Emergency Ward 10 at home. My eldest, James, and his wife Sarah are stopping with Charlie my grandson â all three, and William, are sick with a bug. Even Natalie, my eldest daughter, has it and she only came round for a day. Sharon and I are walking around with masks on and I'm keeping my distance from the team at training. As Will is poorly he's been sleeping in with Sharon, and since James' family is in the spare room, it's Will's bunk bed for me. I'm in the bottom bunk, I wouldn't contemplate the top, but it does feel quite enclosed. I was laying there the other night thinking: "I wonder if any other Premier League managers sleep in a bunk bed." http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/footb....ck-2352090.html iReader
Top read, top bloke. Its so refreshing to hear about the puncheon deal and how he is paying towards his own loan deal. Chears Northolt great read.
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I bet they were Nel, I bet they were. I still think there should have been place for Ephraim in the squad ahead of one or two others but that aside the Manager has done some sterling work in the market, not just this season but last year especially. Maybe Ephraim can get a couple of months good solid play at Championship level and come back and slot in in January?
I can't see it it Swords, he is still too light weight. Those big nasty defenders will just push him off the ball. It is very hard on some of the players that got us promoted though. Ephraim for one, certainly in the early part of last season was excellent. The goal he scored against Middlesbrough was one of the jewels in the season for me, not forgetting his vital winner at Doncaster when the pressure was building up.
A Great read thanks Northolt, i to feel sorry for Hogan i just hope Jamie Mackie is nearing full fitness, cant wait for Monday,never been so nervous since me wedding
Top read, top bloke. The line about Puncheon paying the difference on his loan fee was interesting. Could all those Saints fans have been wrong?
Always an entertaining and insightful read. Puncheon will have gone up in a lot of people's estimation, I hope he proves successful...
Going back to Hogan. I can't think of any of the 25 I'd leave out in favour of him. Correct call IMO. Feel sorry for him all the same.
Puncheon's stock has gone up in my book. Shows he is keen to impress and willing to bet on himself. Good on ya Jason. To be fair it was his mistake, so he should pay something to rectify it, but I'd expect Southampton to play a little nicer than that. But I guess it's all about the $.
Super post. Real pity Bellamy got away. Good to see Tarbs getting fitness up to scratch. Something tells me he wont be throwing his hissy fits on the same pitch as Barton. The Barton signing could have a secondary effect in making Tarbs work that bit harder.
I think hogan being lightweight is a bit of platitude. He's hardly a CB or CF- he doesn't need to be a bruiser to perform well in his position. Hogan's skill, speed(ish), and work ethic are his assets. It's one of these populist opinions really. He can go a whole 90 mins without any instances of light weighted-ness being of concern, yet the opinion will still be trotted out afterwards like it applied to that game.
