Neil Warnock returns as Torquay United caretaker manager

Warnock says he has “no idea” how long he will be in charge for.

For the time being he is planning for Tuesday night’s game with Farnborough at Plainmoor as the Gulls look to try and get their season back on track.

He has not managed a side since he left Aberdeen after a short spell with the Scottish Premiership side more than two years ago, but was energised after his first training session on Monday.

“It makes you realise how much you miss it,” he tells BBC Sport.

“You know, being at the training ground this morning, you can’t replicate that camaraderie with the players, no matter what you do. You can do Talksport, Sky TV and all that, but it doesn’t replicate it.”

Some might wonder if a 77-year-old who has not managed for more than two years still has what it takes to be in charge of a side at any level of the professional game.

But if anyone can do it, it is surely Warnock, who is still held in high regard by some of the world’s best.

“Even Pep [Guardiola] said to me when I had a chat, and I had a chat with his players and I made them laugh with a few things that I said.

“He said to me after, ‘I understand why you had so much success, Neil, because we don’t have humour in the game nowadays. It’s all data, stats, people up there picking a team, somebody down there on a computer telling me who to sign’.

“I don’t forget that. I love the humour and that’s what I enjoyed.

“Today I enjoyed making some of them laugh, but I also wanted to make them understand the seriousness of the situation at the same time, and I won’t tolerate certain things either.”

One thing is for certain, come Tuesday evening at Plainmoor, Torquay’s players will not be able to say they do not have experience on their side.