Exclusive:'Look more long-term' - Stephen Warnock's message for Bradford City after summer of change
Stephen Warnock has issued a Bradford City verdict following the League One club’s summer of change
Stephen Warnock has encouraged his former club Bradford City to look to the future after a summer of change.
Graham Alexander’s men followed up their League Two title triumph with a march into the League One play-offs, but could not make it back-to-back promotions.
An overhaul followed their semi-final loss to Bolton Wanderers, as 12 signings were made and senior figures such as Curtis Tilt, Max Power and Jenson Metcalfe moved on.
Stephen Warnock’s message for Bradford City fans
There was arguably less continuity than some fans wanted, but Warnock has called for patience.
He told The Yorkshire Post via Gambler Media: “My message to Bradford fans is to just be patient with what’s happening at the club and look more long-term.
“It’s everywhere at the moment, people want success and they want it so quickly and I think we just have to sit back and be realistic about things and realise that it is a long season ahead.”
Bradford City entering new era
Bradford kicked off their League One campaign with wins over Peterborough United and Sheffield Wednesday, but frustration has crept in after losses to Plymouth Argyle and Cambridge United.
Bantams boss Graham Alexander will be keen to see cool heads kept as he looks to instil consistency into his new-look side.
Warnock said: “I think when you have such a strong campaign and you end up falling short, there’s an element of ‘what did we miss out on, and how do we improve?’.
“I think you’ve got to be a bit ruthless within your squad at times, and that is the sign of a strong manager, because you might suffer at first but in the long run that will hopefully come to fruition and how the fans why you’ve made those changes. You’ve got to have patience to bed those players in as well.
“If you take the Newcastle situation for example, there will be a lot of people asking how it suddenly gelled and clicked so quickly. And the simple answer is that sometimes it just works, players understand what the manager wants much quicker.
“And other times it takes a bit longer, [Roberto] De Zerbi [at Tottenham Hotspur] for example – and that is just the way things go, there is no rhyme or reason for it and there’s no right or wrong reason for it, it’s just what can happen.”