Garry Monk has revealed he has a close relationship with Neil Warnock.

Birmingham travel to Cardiff in their next league game as the fight to avoid relegation. They currently sit two points away from safety after losing against his former team Middlesbrough. Cardiff are currently in second place with a four point gap separating them from Aston Villa in third place.

Monk revealed to the Birmingham official site that the two managers have been in contact ever since Warnock got in touch when he took his first job in management: "When I took the job at Swansea he was the first Manager to text me with a few nice messages.”

He pointed out how well the opposition are doing in the league: “I've got huge respect for him and they're doing fantastic and they are on a good run and in a great position.”

Although he was under no illusions about how hard it will be for his side in the remainder of the season: "We have to focus on ourselves and getting the elements we've talked about right because if we don't it doesn't matter who we play against to get points."

The Verdict

It's refreshing to see such honesty from a young manager as well as the respect he has shown his counterpart. Although he ensured that the focus didn't stray away too far from his team and the hard task they have ahead of them.

Monk clearly has a good reputation among fans and professionals alike, and this will only add to that. It also hints out how Warnock's career achievements are viewed by fellow managers, which shows how successful he has been as a manager.