Neil Warnock hopes Sol Bamba has the last laugh on Leeds United on Saturday after revealing how their fans have contributed to his great form for Cardiff City.
The centre-back has been a key player for the Bluebirds since signing as a free agent last September after leaving Elland Road.
And Warnock has been using messages posted on fans’ forums to inspire Bamba who will be aiming to keep Leeds’ strikers at bay.
The City manager said: “Their fans did me a great job really. They kept saying on their internet forums that he’s an accident waiting to happen.
“They were saying ‘You Cardiff fans, wait until you see him make a blunder’.
“I keep pinning them up on the board and letting him read them every week just to remind him to play the game simple.
“I owe Leeds fans quite a lot for the way Bamba is playing at the minute.”
Warnock is set for talks with owner Vincent Tan over City’s future in the hope the club can challenge for promotion next season.
But he insists Championship survival has not been guaranteed yet with last weekends defeat at home to Norwich leaving them eight points above the drop zone.
Despite defeat to Norwich in their most recent outing, the Bluebirds remain eight points clear of the Championship’s relegation zone ahead of the clash with Garry Monk’s men.
Asked if they are still in a relegation battle, Warnock responded: “Absolutely. The quicker we can get to 50 points the better.
“But you don’t get much tougher games than Leeds and Derby away. It’s hard or the fans with all the travelling.
“I’m looking further on now. I know all the hard work is going to be done at the end of the season.”
Warnock will not have the services of right-back Lee Peltier and centre-back Bruno Manga for the next two months though both could play before the end of the season.
Peltier has had surgery on the ankle he injured in the victory over Preston while Manga has not played since returning injured from African Cup of Nations duty.
Warnock added: “Peltier’s had an operation on his ankle. We’ll know more about that in about two weeks, but he’s out for a few months.
“Manga is not as bad as we thought. But he’s been in a brace and can’t do anything.