Premier League: Neil Warnock hails Steve Bruce ahead of Hull v Crystal Palace
Thursday 2 October 2014 13:52, UK
Crystal Palace boss Neil Warnock believes Hull's Steve Bruce deserved to win last season's Manager of the Season award ahead of his Eagles predecessor Tony Pulis.
After winning promotion from the Championship, Bruce steered the Tigers to a 16th-place finish in the Premier League and also led them to their first FA Cup final in which they lost to Arsenal.
He was beaten to the division's top manager prize, however, by Pulis, who rescued Palace from the bottom three and guided the Eagles to 11th in the final table.
Palace travel to Hull on Saturday and Warnock believes his opposite number should have been given more recognition for his success last term.
"I know Tony got manager of the year but I thought Steve Bruce was head and shoulders the best manager around," Warnock said.
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"To make a club like Hull very comfortable in the Premier League and to get to the FA Cup final - I thought that was fantastic.
"He's done an incredible job and he's got fabulous support from his chairman too.
"I know the chairman gets criticism but there aren't many teams in the bottom half who have had as much money put in as Hull.
"He's been fantastic and they've bought some very good players."
Warnock arrived at Selhurst Park at the end of August and Palace are unbeaten in the league since he took over.
I've got nothing to lose and I want my players to enjoy it and not be frightened of expressing themselves in the right areas.
An impressive 3-2 victory at Everton was followed by a 2-0 win at home to Leicester last weekend, which sees the Eagles sitting ninth in the table.
"I've got nothing to lose and I want my players to enjoy it and not be frightened of expressing themselves in the right areas," Warnock said.
"Everyone has got strengths - I'm very lucky because you couldn't ask for more effort and commitment.
"As a Palace fan that's the minimum you require - you want your players to sweat blood and that's what they're doing.
"The fans get behind the players because they know they're trying their hardest.
"It was a difficult start to the season but since then we've worked very hard and we're getting the rewards."
