Warnock cancels Cardiff's Tenerife trip in wake of Sala tragedy

The Bluebirds boss says some family time is more important for his squad given the events of recent weeks

Cardiff boss Neil Warnock says he has cancelled a four-day training camp in Tenerife as the club continues to come to terms with the death of striker Emiliano Sala.

Warnock was due to take the players away for some warm-weather training as the club are not in action again until they face Watford on February 22.

However, the Bluebirds boss thinks his players will benefit with some time with their families after a traumatic few weeks for the Welsh club.

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"After what's happened, I'd rather cuddle my kids and see my missus because it's been a long two weeks," said Warnock.

"I've never known anything like this in my life and I've seen most things.

"They'll all be reflecting on what's happened and your family is more important than football isn't it?"

Sala was flying from France to Cardiff with pilot David Ibbotson when their plane went missing over the English channel on the evening of January 21.

The 28-year-old striker had just become Cardiff’s record signing and had travelled back to former club Nantes to bid farewell to his former teammates.

The wreckage of the plane was discovered last week and a body recovered was formally identified as Sala . Ibbotson is still missing however and a fundraising campaign has since been launched to continue the search.

Defender Sol Bamba scored a stoppage-time winner as Cardiff beat Southampton 2-1 at St Mary’s on Saturday in their first match since Sala’s death was confirmed.

The match was preceded by a minute's silence and the Cardiff players and staff wore yellow daffodils in honour of the Argentine striker.

The win was Cardiff’s second in succession and lifted the club out of the Premier League relegation zone, with Warnock dedicating the result and performance to Sala.

Cardiff midfielder Aron Gunnarsson says the tragedy has brought everyone at the club closer together.

"It has been really difficult but the boys have stuck together with everyone around the club," said the 29-year-old Iceland international.

"The most important thing was for the family to mourn.

"Knowing that now, hopefully the pilot will be found and his family can mourn."