Warnock and Lineker Gang Up On McClaren

Posted by

Sheffield United’s Neil Warnock talks a lot and talks bollocks. Amongst our favourites that we can remember are…

His odd vision of how the FA Cup works:

“Matches don’t come any bigger than FA Cup quarter-finals.”

The aesthetic qualities of the Chelsea boss:

“My wife will be glad about Mourinho coming to Bramall Lane because he’s a
good looking swine, isn’t he?”

And his confusion about scourge of the Premiership Graham Poll’s role:

“I shouldn’t really say what I feel, but Poll was their best midfielder in
the goal.”

But now he’s said the most shocking thing of all, shocking because it makes absolutely perfect sense. Speaking after the Blades 2-1 defeat to Manchester United this weekend, where Wayne Rooney played like, well, Wayne Rooney, Warnock offered this not so subtle advice to the man currently turning the Three Lions into the Four Three Three Lions.

“He’s a world-class striker. That’s why England and Steve McClaren have to play him in his best position – and hope everything stays OK with him. I can’t see a problem if he plays him in behind a front man. I think that’s the best position for him. There are all these other formations but if you play Rooney there you are going to score. Worry about the rest when you have to pick the team. Build a team around him.”

Even better, anyone watching Match Of The Day Saturday night heard the supersmug but sometimes funny Gary Lineker introducing the Everton vs Bolton game with this little nugget: “Controversially, England winger Andrew Johnson was asked to play down the middle …”

At least now the former Middlesbrough boss can add ex-footballer TV presenter to the list of people trying to bring him down.