Warnock delighted with players after first league win

LEEDS United boss Neil Warnock hailed his players for their performance in beating Wolves 1-0 in the opening game of the new Npower Championship season.

The Whites manager felt every player had played his part in a hard fought victory and that United had been good value for their victory.

He said: It was a super performance. There wasn’t a weakness, everybody played their part.

“No-one could have given any more and the fans saw that.

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“We could have been three or four nil up at half-time, but we weren’t and you know that every team in the Championship is going to come at you at some stage. That’s when you have to be prepared to put your head on the block, make your tackles and keep your goal intact. I thought we did all that.

“Paddy didn’t have a save to make as such apart from a couple of crosses and our two central defenders were terrific. They were playing against two of the best strikers in our division and kept them really quiet.

“Varney was super, Becchio was a threat. If he stays fit he can do anything. He concentrated on what he can do best and the rest of the team benefits from that.

“The two in midfield, Austin and Norris, were superb. All the way across I can’t fault anyone. Then we get an injury (to Paul Green) and Dioufy comes on and does well. He held the ball up when we needed it and he did very well.

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“I had a few sleepless moments on Friday night about whether to play Sam (Byram) from the start against an England winger, but I decided to go with it and he did well and I thought everyone played well in general.

“Young Sam will have learnt a lot and so will Aidy White at left-back.

“I thought you could just see the relief in Ross McCormack’s play after he signed the new contract.

“I thought he was terrible at Burton Albion when we were quibbling about his contract. I said to him if you’re going to be as bad as that I had rather play young Dominic Poleon against Shrewsbury but he said he would be all right. So it was good to put it to bed and you could see he was enjoying it knowing he was going to be here.

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Warnock explained that with the McCormack deal done and dusted he would now be entering talks with El Hadji Diouf over a permanent deal.

He added: “Unfortunately I haven’t got multi-millions and I’ve brought 10 players in for what Hull City have spent on a striker. I have to try and get what I can for value for money and there’s no-one more valuable than El Hadji Diouf for what we’re going to pay him.

“He’s such a strong player on the ball and he just wants to enjoy himself so give him the ball and let him get on with it.

“We’re talking over a contract, but we just haven’t had time to talk because I’ve had so much on with Ross McCormack and other things so he was the least of my worries and I told him that.

“He wants to stay and I think we’re going to talk on Monday or Tuesday. I am going to offer him a contract and It’s just a matter of sitting down and trying to agree something.”