Preston North End boss Alex Neil says that Bluebirds boss Mick McCarthy’s made huge difference

The home side are in fine form, winning their last four games.

They are under new stewardship with Mick McCarthy now in charge in the Welsh capital and he has brought about change.

The Bluebirds have operated with a three-at-the-back system under the ex-Republic of Ireland boss and although it helps that PNE know how they will likely set up, Neil is thinking of his own team rather than Cardiff’s qualities.

He said: “It helps us to a point but we’re focused on ourselves to get the best out of what we’ve currently got and how we can approach the game to give us the best chance.

“That Cardiff squad has shown in recent years that they’re capable of getting out of this league, they’re capable of getting into the play-offs and I think what Mick’s done is simplify a lot of things for them.

“It’s always difficult to distinguish why a team does better with one manager and not another manager, and equally a team that is doing well – you find next year they’re not doing so well.

“Football at times is full of nonsense.

“Mick did a really good job at Ipswich and then all of a sudden his methods became outdated.

“You go from being the flavour of the month to being forgotten about really quickly in football.

“It shifts from person to person.”

The PNE boss feels that 
McCarthy is simply tapping into the potential of his squad, who were play-off semi-finalists last season.

He feels at this moment in time, the Championship table is largely matching up to the quality of squads available, with many of those near the summit ex-Premier League clubs.

He said: “What you’ve got to recognise, and I think any manager will tell you this, is that you’re as good as your players and your squad.

“Managers are not magicians.

“You don’t just go in and make a team that is not capable or not functional into top-six contenders or top-two.

“If you look at the league table at the moment, if you look at that top six, most people would have that top six as being the top six.

“Swansea are probably the one that are doing extremely well in my view.

“Although they have got a good squad and a strong team, I think they’re having a great season.

“The rest I think you would expect to be in and about it and if they weren’t, there would be serious questions getting asked.”