The 73-year-old said after his departure from Middlesbrough back in November that he would not be returning to football – but could he now be set for yet another job?
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Neil Warnock eager for an I’m A Celebrity stint
Neil Warnock could be set for a shock return to the dugout at the age of 73.
The veteran boss exited Middlesbrough back in November after being relieved of his duties. It was the 16th club of Warnock’s managerial career, which started at Gainsborough Trinity way back in 1980.
In the weeks after his departure he said that he was “not bothered” about a return to management after more than 40 years in the industry.
Speaking on talkSPORT back in December, Warnock said: “I’m not bothered about going into it again.
“Listen, [getting sacked] was a surprise, but these things happen in football. I was always going to pack in at the end of the season anyway.
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“The new director of football, when I met him he didn’t look me in the eye. I feared the worst then!
“The thing I’m really proud of is I’ve left them with a cracking squad. No manager could wish to have a better squad, so I think I’ve left him in a great situation.”
Now, reports suggest Warnock could be asked to come in and act as firefighter with stricken Championship side Barnsley.
The Reds only hired Poya Asbaghi back in November but the former Sweden under-21 chief has yet to win a single league game.
He has taken just three points from 10 matches and Saturday saw his side exit the FA Cup, after a 1-0 loss at Yorkshire rivals Huddersfield Town.
The Sun now claims Warnock is on Barnsley’s watchlist – and that he is ready for another challenge.
Back in November, just before his departure, Warnock set a new record by racking up 1,602 games as an English manager.
The news of his potential return comes in the same week that another veteran English manager returned to the game. Roy Hodgson, aged 74, took up the helm at Watford.
Saturday saw the former England boss make a solid start to life with the Hornets as they held Premier League relegation rivals Burnley to a goalless draw.
As for Barnsley, they can at least now concentrate on trying to preserve their Championship status.
They are rock-bottom, eight points adrift of safety, ahead of Tuesday’s trip to Luton.
Speaking after their cup loss to Huddersfield, under-pressure Asbaghi said: “We have had an equaliser disallowed for the second game in a row. I don’t know if it was a foul, but these things are not so easy for the referees to decide.
“People have VAR and still cannot decide if a goal is a goal or not, so I am not going to blame the officials.
“I cannot say if it should have been a goal or not. It is unfortunate for us that the decisions are going against us and not with us. It is margins going against a team that does not have the best of confidence right now.
“We just have to keep working hard so the margins go our way. We have to create our own luck. I felt we created enough good chances, but we have to be better in those situations.
“We can now concentrate completely on the Championship. There is no game where we feel that we cannot get at least a point or a win.”
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