Football
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Neil Warnock: Steve Bruce deserved managers' award over Tony Pulis

Crystal Palace manager Neil Warnock believes Hull boss Steve Bruce deserved to win last season's Manager of the Year award ahead of his Eagles predecessor Tony Pulis.

After winning promotion from the Championship, Bruce steered the Tigers to a 16th-placed finish in the Premier League and led the club to their first ever FA Cup final, which they lost to Arsenal.

He was beaten to the prize, however, by Pulis, who rescued Palace from the bottom three and guided them up to 11th.

The Eagles travel to Hull on Saturday and Warnock believes his opposite number should have been given more recognition for his success last term.

"I know Tony got Manager of the Year but I thought Steve Bruce was head and shoulders the best manager around,'' Warnock told a news conference. "To make a club like Hull very comfortable in the Premier League and to get to the FA Cup final -- I thought that was fantastic.

"He's done an incredible job and he's got fabulous support from his chairman too. I know the chairman gets criticism but there aren't many teams in the bottom half who have had as much money put in as Hull. He's been fantastic and they've bought some very good players.''

Warnock arrived at Selhurst Park at the end of August and Palace are unbeaten in the league since he took over.

An impressive 3-2 victory at Everton was followed by a 2-0 win at home to Leicester last weekend, which sees the Eagles sitting ninth in the table.

"I've got nothing to lose and I want my players to enjoy it and not be frightened of expressing themselves in the right areas,'' Warnock said. "Everyone has got strengths -- I'm very lucky because you couldn't ask for more effort and commitment.

"As a Palace fan that's the minimum you require -- you want your players to sweat blood and that's what they're doing. The fans get behind the players because they know they're trying their hardest.

"It was a difficult start to the season but since then we've worked very hard and we're getting the rewards.''

Warnock allowed 20-year-old Jonathan Williams to join Ipswich on a 93-day loan deal this week.

Williams, who spent three months with the Tractor Boys at the end of last season, has not started a league game for Palace in the current campaign.

"There were four or five clubs after him -- I just know Mick [McCarthy] will play him in the hole where I want him to play and he enjoyed it at Ipswich last season as well,'' Warnock said.

"He knows I'm watching him and he's playing in the position I think he's better in. He's in my plans and he's going to be a very important player for Palace in the long-term.''

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