Two managerial veterans go head-to-head in Wales this weekend, when Ipswich Town boss Mick McCarthy takes his Blues side to face Neil Warnock’s Cardiff City.

McCarthy celebrates 25 years in football management this weekend, while the man whose boots he used to clean at Barnsley, Warnock, has managed more than a thousand times in the Football League and Premier League.

Following a spate of managerial departures this week, Warnock said that he wasn’t concerned about getting the sack as he would get another job, given the lack of good managers currently in the game.

“If I want another job, I can get another job. That’s not being conceited, I just don’t see many good managers around,” said Warnock.

McCarthy chuckled at his old friend’s comment, but said the ex-QPR manager had the credentials to back up his boast.

“Why would he (be worried), he knows he’s not getting the sack, it looks like they’re (Cardiff) safe, but I’m sure he will want another three points from us,” said McCarthy.

“He is in a kind of a nice warm position to say that, but he is a good manager and if he did (get the sack), someone would come knocking at his door if they were in trouble, wanting him to come in a firefight.”

Since being appointed by the Bluebirds in October, Warnock has won 11 and drawn seven of his 27 games in charge to move the Welsh side up to a position of safety in the middle of the table.

“He gets his team organised and really hard to play against, as he did with Rotherham – that was a really remarkable achievement he, and I believe he is signing a new contract at Cardiff,” added McCarthy.

“He has retired more times than anybody I know so he loves it and I’m glad to see him because he is a pal of mine. He is colourful and makes it an event when you play his teams.

“He has got a personality and seems to get the best out of the players in his team.

“That’s not the case with everybody and we have got (Cardiff’s) Emyr Huws here with us and he doesn’t get in his (Warnock’s) team, but that’s the same everywhere.

“The players he has in the team, he’s got them playing really well.”