Cardiff’s Sol Bamba reacts to Neil Warnock calling him a better defender than Liverpool ace Virgil van Dijk
The 33-year-old was signed by Warnock in 2016 for nothing following his release from Leeds
Sol Bamba laughed off Neil Warnock's suggestion the Cardiff man is a better defender than Virgil van Dijk.
Back in December, when it was revealed Liverpool had sealed the £75million transfer of the Dutchman, Warnock discussed the duo's qualities.
"I think Van Dijk has got better attributes on the ball than Sol Bamba but I don't think he is a better defender," the Bluebirds manager said at the time.
"I think Sol Bamba is slightly better than Van Dijk defensive-wise. I think Van Dijk has got more confidence on the ball and looks easier on the eye, but I don't think he is better defensively."
So when talkSPORT's Laura Woods caught up with the 33-year-old stopper, his boss' claims were put to him.
"That was the gaffer being the gaffer," he laughed. "He got carried away. I wouldn't have said that. Definitely not."
Clarifying his words, Warnock said: "I just think Sol's a very good defender and I was just making the comment that in a defensive situation I'd back Sol."
He is a big fan of the Ivory Coast international and it was key to bringing him to Wales in 2016 when he was released by Leeds. The player had been urged by Warnock to wait until he had sorted a manager's job out before deciding on his next career move. "When I left Leeds he said 'just wait, I'm going to get a club'.
"I knew I would wait because I trust him. The missus wasn't too happy as the wages weren't coming in, but we were regularly in contact so I wasn't worried."
Warnock also revealed to talkSPORT that when he was in charge of Crystal Palace in 2014, he looked at the possibility of signing Van Dijk, who was then playing for Celtic and could have been available for as little as £6m.
“When I was at Palace, it was difficult to sign players,” he explained.
“I went after the centre-half at Celtic, Van Dijk, and they wanted £6million. I said ‘we have got to buy him, don’t we?’
“The chief scout went to watch him and said ‘he is not very quick, it’s Scottish football’. That was before Southampton came in for him.”
