What next for Neil Warnock?

Neil Warnocks three-year Cardiff reign ended on Monday when he left the Sky Bet Championship club by mutual consent.Here, the PA news agency reflects on Warnocks colourful Cardiff career and asks what the future holds for the veteran manager, who turns 71 next month.What job did he do?Neil Warnock won a record eighth promotion in English football with Cardiff in 2018 (Simon Galloway/PA)Pretty good. Warnock was appointed in October 2016 with Cardiff second from bottom in the Championship and steered them to a respectable 12th position. Cardiff were not expected to challenge for automatic promotion in the 2017-18 season, but Warnocks uncompromising side collected 90 points to finish second behind champions Wolves and above the fancied quartet of Fulham, Aston Villa, Middlesbrough and Derby. The success saw Warnock claim a record eighth promotion in English football.So he was really popular then?Neil Warnock has never been shy to criticise referees (Gareth Copley/PA)Well, we are talking about footballs original Marmite Man. Cardiff fans loved his passion, both on the touchline and after the final whistle when wins were celebrated on the pitch in front of the supporters. But there were grumbles about tactics and playing style as Cardiff were relegated from the Premier League in 2019. Warnock was accused of being too negative and criticism reached deafening levels after Cardiff lost to Welsh rivals Swansea in timid fashion at the end of October. From that point he was doomed.What is his Cardiff legacy?The Emiliano Sala tragedy took its toll on Neil Warnock (Aaron Chown/PA)Warnock often expressed pride in managing to unite a fractured club where the ownership and fanbase had been at war. Owner Vincent Tans controversial red kit rebrand created a toxic atmosphere at the Cardiff City Stadium, but Warnocks success healed the pain after the Bluebirds had gone back to their traditional colours.Warnocks time at Cardiff was overshadowed by the Emiliano Sala tragedy and the ongoing transfer dispute with Nantes after the Argentinian striker was killed in a plane crash in January 2019. Warnock was visibly shaken by Salas death and the entire episode took a huge toll on him.What next for Warnock?Neil Warnock managed his boyhood favourites Sheffield United in the Premier League (Rui Vieira/PA)Warnock celebrates his 71st birthday on December 1 and has spent over half a century in football. He made his debut for Chesterfield in 1967 and has managed 15 different clubs including his boyhood favourites Sheffield United between 1999 and 2007 in a 40-year management career. Warnock said he would retire at the end of the season and spend more time at his farm in Cornwall. But Warnock has promised retirement before and returned to management, so do not be surprised to see him in a dugout again sometime soon.Would we miss him? You bet. Love him or loathe him, it is never dull when Warnock is around. What other Premier League manager would have offered up his view on Brexit I think well be far better out of the bloody thing to hell with the rest of the world or his wish to get a minutes booing at old rivals Bristol City when he dies. Referees, assistant referees, fourth officials and the Football Associations disciplinary department, however, might not be so dewy-eyed if this really is the final chapter of an extraordinary career.(function(i,s,o,g,r,a,m){i['GoogleAnalyticsObject']=r;i[r]=i[r]||function(){
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