Neil Warnock says he has made up with Wolves boss Nuno Espirito Santo after their bitter row seven months ago.
Warnock labelled Nuno a “total disgrace” and repeatedly swore at the Portuguese for not shaking his hand after Wolves had beaten Cardiff 1-0 in a highly-charged Sky Bet Championship promotion clash in April.
The spat was sparked when Cardiff missed two stoppage-time penalties and Nuno celebrated by running onto the pitch before attempting to shake Warnock’s hand.
But Warnock, speaking ahead of Friday’s Premier League reunion at the Cardiff City Stadium, said: “I’ve already shaken hands with him and spoke to him two or three times at the end of last season.
“I telephoned him when they got promotion last year and we met up at the LMA (League Managers’ Association).
“He’s a big bloke and he gave me a hug. He’s a big bloke, isn’t he?
“He gave me a squeeze – and I wasn’t sure if it was a nice one. But it was.
“I haven’t got a problem with a bit of passion, it doesn’t do any harm really.
“That’s why I’m in the game and he wants to win things.”
Both clubs were promoted last season with Wolves going up as champions and Cardiff as runners-up.
Wolves lie 11th in the Premier League despite a slump in form which has seen them pick up only one point from five games.
Cardiff are eight points worse off than Wolves and one place off the foot of the table, and Warnock says that the two clubs have different agendas.
“I would have liked their budget but it’s not’s not all about money,” said Warnock, whose side have won two of their last three home games.
“You’ve still got to get a team together and I thought he did brilliant last year.
“They’ve got different ambitions to us at the moment, they’re trying to get in that top 10 and we’re trying to survive.
“But it’s the same pressures for managers and they know how tough it will be against us.”
Warnock turns 70 on Saturday and will celebrate his milestone birthday with a family meal at a restaurant near his Welsh base.
“It’s nice that the Premier League have brought the game forward,” he said.
“Am I dinosaur? I think I am regarding my date of birth.
“But you can’t do this job at this age unless you’ve got enthusiasm.
“It’s the lads here who keep me young and the day-to-day environment. You can’t really replicate that when you do pack in.
“The fact that there is so much tragedy going on in the world means you just have to grasp every moment you can.”
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