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Neil Warnock reviews the state of play in the Sky Bet Championship play-off race

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Neil Warnock feels the race for promotion may be out of Cardiff’s reach

Neil Warnock says those who think his Cardiff City side will reach the Championship play-offs are living "in cuckoo land".

The Bluebirds beat Rotherham 5-0 on Saturday - their third league win in a row - to move within 13 points of sixth position, the final play-off spot.

Warnock dismissed talk of his team bridging that gap when speaking to Goals on Sunday before going on to assess the main contenders for a top-six place.

Cardiff City's Junior Hoilett
Image: Junior Hoilett joined Cardiff as a free agent following Neil Warnock's arrival in October

"They [journalists] asked me yesterday and they are in cuckoo land I think," the Cardiff manager said. "We are 13 points adrift and we have just won three on the trot. We only have to win 13 more in a row!

"The thing is it's not just Cardiff doing well, we have to go on another run and other teams have to lose.

"Sheffield Wednesday, Leeds and Reading need to have a major slip-up and then Norwich are only seven points adrift so they need to as well. That many things need to happen. We just have to try to win every game.

"I think it will be a good play-off battle. They all have different attributes. Reading have a problem because their pitch is a disgrace and they play passing football so that doesn't help them.

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"Leeds have the fans, and Wednesday have the passion and Fernando Forestieri, who is on fire.

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"Huddersfield have a great team ethic. It does look as if it will be those four for me, although I am sure Norwich will have something to say about that.

"Brighton have built the club in the correct way, they have improved every year, even last year when they missed out they got over it.

"I think they are the best team in the league. Newcastle have the best squad but Brighton are the best team.

"We want to try and get higher, that is the next step. Yesterday's [Saturday's] win put us in the pack again."

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Highlights of the Sky Bet Championship match between Cardiff City and Rotherham United

Warnock, who joined Cardiff in October on a short-term deal until the end of the season, says he plans to hold talks over his future on Monday.

"I am seeing Mehmet [Cardiff chairman Mehmet Dalman] tomorrow and having a chat about everything," Warnock said.

"I said when I came a few months ago that I don't want to stay if we are not going to go for promotion, or just to pick my money up.

"I am at an age where I want to have a carrot and go for the eighth promotion. I am not bothered about having a lot of money.

"Four clubs on Deadline Day paid £12m for a player, I am looking for half of that, for four players! We are talking and we are on the same wavelength.

"It's just how will we get those four players in with this FFP [Financial Fair Play] thing and when we haven't got that many lads out of contract in the summer.

"They are working out how we can do things. It's a great place, but the stage I am at I don't just want to manage football, I want to have a go."

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