Sleep-deprived Bluesbirds boss lost interest in new signings after Sala's plane went missing last week
AN emotional Neil Warnock recounted his final conversation with missing Cardiff striker Emiliano Sala after his "most difficult week in football".
Warnock, whose career spans four decades, explained how he'd been left sleep-deprived having asked the Argentine striker to join the team in Newcastle rather than fly to Nantes.
The Bluebirds boss recalled how Sala, 28, had promised him goals during their last discussion at the record signing's medical.
Warnock, who has questioned whether to retire, said: "It's probably hit me harder than anyone else as I've met the lad and talked to him for the past six to eight weeks.
"I keep calling him Emile because I told him I couldn't pronounce the name.
"The memories I'll have are him saying, 'I'll score you the goals', and I said, 'I know you will'.
"I did invite him to Newcastle and I keep thinking about that. But he wanted to go back and see his team-mates and get his belongings."
A search for the light aircraft that was carrying Sala from western France to South Wales on January 21 was called off on Thursday.
Warnock revealed how hard the tragedy had affected him and his relegation-threatened team who have sought psychological help.
He said: "It's impossible to sleep. I've been in football management 40 years and it's been by far the most difficult week in my career, by an absolute mile.
"It's been a traumatic week and even now I can't get my head around the situation.
"When you look at Romina (Sala’s sister) and the family, it’s such a difficult time. I keep looking at my own children and thinking about what I’d be doing now.
"I am OK when I'm in the public eye or with the players; it's when I'm on my own or at home that you think about it.
"It's probably the lads you don't expect that needed more help. But I don't think it does any harm to talk to anyone else. It's been noticeable that three or four lads have been really poor."
Cardiff are 18th in the Premier League table and two points from safety but Warnock described how the shock had left devoid of enthusiasm for new recruits.
He said: "It's definitely changed our outlook, but it's almost like if we don't sign anybody, we don't sign anybody.
"Life goes on. I'm of the feeling that I'm not bothered either way - if that's right or wrong.
"It's not the be-all and end-all. If we get a couple of targets, that'll be great. But my heart hasn't really been in that."
Warnock stressed how tomorrow's trip to Arsenal is far from appropriate.
He added: "In an ideal world I don’t think I’d like another game at all, how I feel at the moment.
“I think football is important but I think it does open up a lot more when a tragedy like this happens."
