Warnock hits out at Newport’s Westley

(Picture: Action Images via Reuters)

Cardiff City boss Neil Warnock is enraged with his Newport County counterpart Graham Westley over his handling of young striker Rhys Healey.

The 22-year-old striker, on loan from Cardiff, has been at Rodney Parade all season and has scored six goals in 18 appearances so far.

That form has attracted the interest of teams higher up the footballing pyramid, including the Pilgrims, and Healey was allowed to speak about the speculation in County’s press conference yesterday.

This is what has angered Warnock so greatly, and he told the Plymouth Herald: “I disagree totally with what has happened and I’m very, very annoyed with Graham at the moment if I’m honest.

“To ask a young lad to face the media and talk about Plymouth I think is totally out of order and I will be speaking to Rhys on Sunday.

“I don’t think he should have been placed in front of the media with the first question asking him whether he was going to Plymouth Argyle. He should be talking about Newport and it was totally unfair.”

Warnock did not deny the interest for Derek Adams‘ side, who are looking to add firepower to a promotion assault that has derailed slightly over the past few weeks, but said many other clubs have also shown an interest, and Cardiff will be listening to offers.

“Plymouth have spoken to me as have a number of clubs, but the club has not spoken to Rhys – that has been made up.” said Warnock

“He knew of the interest but he didn’t speak to them. His agent has spoken to clubs, but that is normal for a young player out on loan.

“We have to weigh up the pros and cons of whether we want the lad playing at a team [Newport] at that end of the table or another challenge.

“That could either be in another division, because a number of League One clubs have asked, or whether we want him to go to the other end of the League Two table, like Carlisle where Keith Curle has asked me, or Plymouth.