Whilst everybody expected the worst,” he said. “It brings the family peace and offers some comfort.
“I think the same goes for the Club, who have handled it unbelievably. I couldn’t be more grateful to Mehmet [Dalman] and Ken [Choo] for keeping things together off the field. It’s meant I’ve been able to concentrate on keeping the team together on it.
“I’ve not heard anybody have a bad word to say about Emiliano. He was a scruffy type of player who would, for me, score ten-fifteen goals every year at the top level. But not just that, he would work hard as a team player and fit the criteria of what I look for in a player.
Neil went on to praise the response of the Cardiff City supporters and wider football community, with a full allocation of Bluebirds heading to St Mary’s Stadium this weekend.
When I think I’ve seen it all in football, our fans keep surprising me nearly every week,” he continued. “I think the Arsenal and Bournemouth fans were great too. You’ve seen tributes from small sides up to the top clubs. It brings all of the football family together and shows we’re all on the same wavelength. I know we’re the closest to it, but it’s a loss for everyone in football.