Neil Warnock says he needs to “let things settle” in terms of discussing his future after Cardiff’s relegation from the Premier League was confirmed.
Cardiff joined Fulham and Huddersfield in exiting the top flight after away-day specialists Crystal Palace won 3-2 in the Welsh capital. The result secured Brighton’s Premier League safety.
Asked about his future as Cardiff begin contemplating a return to the Sky Bet Championship, manager Warnock said: “I think we’ve just (got) to relax for a few days and have a think about everything.
“I’ve got to let things settle and not do anything rash. I’ve not spoken to anybody. You can’t make rash judgements at this stage of the season with one game to go.
“Mehmet (Dalman, Cardiff chairman) has been amazing with me, so I’m sure we will have a chat, either today, this weekend or the next couple of weeks.
“I will be working next year, I will have a year somewhere. I am looking forward to that challenge again now.
“It’s been a great experience for me, and probably my best job ever to have done what we’ve done with the club. I’m right proud of the club.
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“Everybody is disappointed when you suffer a relegation. It would be wrong not to feel like that, if you’re not hurt. But I can’t be any prouder.
Neil Warnock, left, acknowledges the crowd after the final whistle (Simon Galloway/PA)
“I think when you look back to when I came to the club, I thought the club was broken, I thought it was really in a poor state.
“I think the club is almost reborn now. I’m so proud that the fans have been like they have been because I’ve never experienced anything like that in my career.
“As daft as it sounds, I think this season has been the best I’ve ever had in management. I’m quite proud of what we’ve achieved, and we’ve got relegated. It is a difficult thing to digest, but that’s how I feel.”
Cardiff’s season was tainted by tragedy when record signing Emiliano Sala was killed in a plane crash in January two days after the club announced his signing “subject to international clearance”.
Deeply disappointed with this loss and specially sad for not being able to help my team in this battle. I’m sure Cardiff will soon come back to where it belongs 💙 pic.twitter.com/MX9RmlvtfP— Victor Camarasa (@vicama8) May 4, 2019
“I think that also puts things in perspective,” Warnock said. “We’ve got relegated. The lad lost his life.
“We would have loved another striker, and I think he would have helped us. But the club has got to go again.
“It was so difficult, there is no point saying it wasn’t. At my age and in my 40th year in management, you have come up against most things, but this was something completely out of the blue.
“I would be wrong to say it wasn’t an emotional time for me, because we all think about our own families at times like that.”
Wilfried Zaha celebrates his goal which opened the scoring in Wales (Simon Galloway/PA)
Palace led through former Cardiff loanee Wilfried Zaha before Eagles defender Martin Kelly put through his own net.
Michy Batshuayi and Andros Townsend scored either side of the break to put Palace 3-1 ahead, before Bobby Reid struck a stoppage-time consolation.
“It was a clinical performance,” said Palace boss Roy Hodgson after his side claimed a ninth away league win, five more than they have managed at Selhurst Park.
“When you play these games, you know you are playing a team that is going to be fighting to the death. Cardiff have fought very, very hard in every game throughout the season.
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