Cardiff manager Neil Warnock has had ‘most difficult week’ of his career following Emiliano Sala’s disappearance

Neil Warnock has admitted he has had doubts over whether he should remain as Cardiff manager following the disappearance of Emiliano Sala last Monday.

Sala, 28, was signed by the Bluebirds for a club-record £15million from Ligue 1 side Nantes just two days earlier and fundraisers have now paid for a private search after the official search was called off last Thursday.

“You think 24 hours a day about whether to carry on,” Warnock said as he spoke to the media for the first time on Monday following Sala’s disappearance.

“It’s impossible to sleep. I’ve been in football management for 40 years and it’s been by far the most difficult week in my career, by an absolute mile.

“It’s been a traumatic week and even now I can’t get my head around the situation.

“It’s probably hit me me harder than anyone else, as I’ve met the lad and talked to him for the last six to eight weeks.”

Warnock revealed the League Managers’ Association had offered him support and that several Cardiff players had spoken to psychologists in the wake of Sala’s disappearance.

Asked whether he had sought help, Warnock said: “You have to in this instance. Who motivates the motivator?

“I am OK when I’m in the public eye or with the players, it’s when I’m at I’m on my own or at home that you think about it.

“It’s probably the lads you don’t expect that needed more help. But I don’t think it does any harm to talk to anyone else. It’s been noticeable that three of four lads have been really poor.”

Fulham boss Claudio Ranieri, who managed Sala during his time in charge of Nantes, also spoke to the media on Monday.

He said: “Emiliano’s a fantastic boy. He’s a player who puts his head where others wouldn’t put their foot. For me, it’s very, very sad. I pray for him and his family.”

Cardiff travel to the Emirates Stadium on Tuesday night to take on Arsenal.

Gunners manager Unai Emery said at his pre-match media conference: “All our thoughts is to Nantes, to Cardiff, to the player’s and pilot’s family, friends. Tomorrow we are going to remember them.

“We are going to play one match, remembering this situation, but also giving (hope for the recovery of) Emiliano Sala and for the pilot. Also, thoughts with his family and all friends.”

Warnock said he backed the Sala family’s determination for the search to be resumed, with more than £290,000 raised through gofundme donations.

“I quite understand (sister) Romina’s stance,” Warnock said.

“If it was my kid, I’d want everybody looking at it forever. It’s such a strange situation, everybody is hoping like the family.

“Football is important, relegation and things are important, but in the context of life, it just opens everybody’s eyes, whether you are involved with Cardiff or any of the families.”

Warnock revealed he had made cross-Channel trips to France on a similar plane that Sala had travelled in, and believes he had been piloted by Ibbotson.

“I’d been on a couple of planes like that, but I think the ones I’d be on might have had two engines,” he said.

“But I’d been over the top to Nantes a couple of times and I do think I had that pilot, who I thought was a fabulous pilot.”

On preparations for Tuesday’s game at Arsenal, Warnock added: “We have done the best we can in the circumstances. I don’t feel personally that I’m right at the moment.

“We definitely could not have played on Saturday.”

Leicester boss Claude Puel, who has previously managed Monaco, Lille, Lyon and Nice in France, gave his support to Cardiff.

He said: “Of course it is another tragedy.

“We appreciated a lot the support we received from them and it is important to be close to them and support them after this awful tragedy for the club.

“It is difficult to have to try to manage this situation, and we know this situation in the past. I have thoughts for the family of the player, of course, and for the club and the fans – and the club he played for in France.

“They have had time to know him, he was a nice person and, of course, it’s a difficult thing to think. We give all our support for the club and we know they can have spirit in this moment.”