English football icon reveals Manchester City’s Erling Haaland came running after him | OneFootball

English football’s legendary manager Neil Warnock has given a peak through the curtain into a day he spent at Manchester City’s training facilities and his interactions with members of Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Warnock has come up against Guardiola several times since the latter took charge of Manchester City in 2016 and the duo have built a respectful relationship off the pitch over the years as two of the greatest managers to have coached in England.

Guardiola has often lauded the likes of Warnock, 76, for his impact on English football for decades and there is great mutual respect between the pair – with Warnock often hailing the Manchester City coach as the greatest manager in the history of football.

Speaking to talkSPORT about the day he recently spent at Manchester City’s training facilities, Warnock waxed lyrical about the setup Guardiola is in charge of and provided an insight into conversations he had with some of the first-team players.

“I had a go at Gundogan. I had a go at Grealish. He came and said hello straight away and I said, ‘This is the nearest I’ve ever got to him’. Erling (Haaland) – he came running up to me and I thought he was looking at going past me,” Warnock recalled.

“I thought there was somebody behind me. And he (Haaland) just gave me a big hug and (asked), ‘Can I have a picture?’ and I thought, ‘Well, it should be me saying that, shouldn’t it?’,” Warnock continued.

“He was saying yesterday, Ederson, he’s had so many assists from his kicks – I think it’s eight or nine assists he’s had this season from his kicks. Because (the opposition) they’re just not ready for it, because it’s all pass, pass, pass – which is good.

“I mean, I cringe sometimes when I see the passing. If it were my lad, he’d give it away. It’s one of those things, you’ve got to have players that know (how to play). Warnock then joked that he had told the City squad how they would be playing if he were in the hot seat at the Etihad.”

Warnock was left impressed with the quality in Manchester City training and particularly the work-ethic instilled by Guardiola in his squad as some of the best players in world football do the dirty work off the ball and do the basics as a first order of business.

“When I first met them (the Manchester City players), they were just going to have a session. I said: ‘Good job I’m not here lads. You’d be hoofing it up there over the top like, you know,” Warnock finished.