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Leeds United: Bates and Warnock on the same wavelength
Ken Bates insists his straight-talking relationship with Neil Warnock will prove a successful one for Leeds United – and has given short shrift to talk of it being a clash of egos.
Warnock’s appointment as Whites boss was confirmed on Saturday after meeting Bates in Monaco the previous day and despite the pair’s forthright nature, the Elland Road chief is confident their chemistry will work.
On his relationship with Warnock, who famously turned down Bates’ offer to take over at Chelsea in 1991, Bates said: “We don’t waste time skirting around matters, we tackle problems in an honest and open way. It’s much better than skirting around situations; that takes much longer and sometimes you have misunderstandings.
“We say what we think. That sort of makes you controversial and it’s (considered) a joke. Most people who are asked their opinion don’t give one.
“We say it as it is. I’ve known Neil for many years and I’ve reminded him of the occasion when Sheffield United won promotion under his managership and I took 12 cases of Dom Perignon champagne into their dressing room for them to celebrate and afterwards it finished in the back of his car boot.
“I reminded him of that on Friday and I said: ‘This time when we win promotion and the Dom Perignon’s in the dressing room, it stays there!’ And Neil burst out laughing and that’s the relationship we’re having.”
Warnock reportedly rebuffed rival interest from five clubs to take on the challenge at United, with Bates stating that the 63-year-old’s motivation to gloss his distinguished managerial career by getting Leeds back to their traditional home of the Premiership and clinching a footballing milestone in the process swayed his decision.
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The veteran Sheffield-born boss was afforded a dream start after a thrilling come-from-behind success over Yorkshire neighbours Doncaster Rovers on Saturday, the hosts snatching victory from two goals down.
And Bates believes the result could yet be a turning point in United’s season.
Bates said: “Neil wasn’t particularly motivated by money. He’s got his ambition – he’s one of three managers who has won promotion seven times and wants to make it an eight.
“He wants to take Leeds back into the Premiership and crown his own personal career, which you can’t blame him for.”
On Saturday’s success, he added: “I think it (the Doncaster win) could prove the turning point of the season. To be fair, we have come back from two goals down before, but I think it was in the spirit it was done. A cause of that was the entry of the gladiator, so to speak, which gave us those three points and kept us within touching distance of the play-offs with just 14 games to go.
“It always happens when you bring a new man in, it’s a breath of fresh air sort of thing and there’s different attitudes and I’m glad to see the team’s responded to him.”
* Meanwhile, Bates has wished Simon Grayson well following his appointment as Huddersfield Town boss on Tuesday, just under three weeks after he was axed as United boss.
He said: “We had him for three years and he did a good job and stabilised the club and got us promotion.
“It’s always difficult when you part company with managers, but things had drifted away this season and that was the reason why it was time for a change.
“But I’d like to place on record my thanks to him and his merry men for what they did and I wish them well in their new job. But of course, since it’s Huddersfield, not too well!”
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Weather for Leeds
Saturday 26 May 2012
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Temperature: 9 C to 21 C
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Comments
There are 23 comments to this article
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interm'landrover
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 04:29 PMOztyke as always you are the purveyor of perceived wisdom with a mild dose of healthy scepticism based on recent experience.If Warnock takes us to the playoffs even his most vitriolic critics will tolerate his self indulgent soundbites. Can he really work well with KB&SH on a modest budget ? The man has a point to prove and if our players need a reality check under a man who is highly respected for his promotion achievements the next 14 games will provide some interesting questions and answers.Am I being too optimistic ? We all understand why our fellow fans get frustrated especially when we concede 4 or 5 to moderate opposition and Peter Lorimer tells us the team is hard to beat.The chairman and his saintly disposition is a work of fiction that is best ignored but the atmosphere is improving despite the disingenuous claptrap coming out of ER.The worst kind of failure is failure to try so let's give our total support and see where it gets us. MOT!
OzTyke
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 12:04 AMNeil Warnock is an excellent appointment and is a breath of fresh air, there's no denying. The junior shirt promotion is a good thing too, so credit where it's due and let's hope there's many more positive times ahead. It would be silly to say that Ken has had a Road to Damascus experience and has suddenly turned into Richard Attenborough's Kris Kringle (they look the same though!). Simon Grayson's dismissal was obviously planned for the day after the transfer deadline, and just as clearly the "New Leeds" has emerged because the fans were turning against the Board's running of the club in serious numbers. However, it does appear to be working and let's face it I'm sure - with one or two exceptions - we'd all prefer feeling positive and hopeful and seeing Elland Road jumping again, rather than feeling really down and seeing rows and rows of empty seats. Perhaps Ken and Shaun have at long last discovered the connection between customer satisfaction and profit.
white rainbow
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 07:40 PMI agree with John Newsome 100%.
DAT
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 05:50 PMLeeds 27; Sanctimonious Claptrap Ken Bates doesn't give a damn about you, or all the other Leeds fans. Ken bates only cares about Ken Bates. If we are very lucky our wishes for the future, and those of Bates might coincide, but don't count on it. So lets be optomistic but not blind to reality.
white01
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 04:53 PMDoes the fact that they are supposedly both on the same wavelength mean that KB will now suddenly,miraculously spend money to give NW what he needs to get us promoted?If so why now and not previously?If we are to be promoted,what then?A PL budget would mean Batesy would have to spend even more money!Promotion is one thing,being embarrassed week in week out and staying up are 2 very different things.I will be interested to see just how much on the same wavelength the fishes ar5e and NW actually are.
John Newsome
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 04:14 PM#15 Bubionwhite; I don't deal in propaganda; just facts. With attendances falling, Bates has appointed an excellent manager rather than a young pup that needed the job and was easily silenced. After 7 years, that represents a change of tack and I conclude the two events are connected. You are correct about a new found air of positivity and I'm as pleased about that as anyone but we should never have had to wait this long for a manager of Warnock's calibre.
Liam123
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:29 PMleedsls27 - I am glad you are happy that you are paying premiership prices now, and have been paying premiership prices for the last few years, and will be paying premiership prices again next year, whether we are actually in the premiership or not. You must have a great view up there on your high horse.
Liam123
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:25 PMJohn Newsome - I agree with you, if it weren't for the drop in attendances, and the emergence of LUST, Ken Bates would have been happy for us to plod along. The changes have only come about for a reason. People so easily forget that Redfearn was actually plan A, but that failed in spectacular fashion, in effect forcing Ken Bates to do something. Bubionwhite - I also agree with you, it has been more positive and we all have one thing in common on here, whether we agree with each other or not, we all support and want what we believe is best for Leeds United.
Bubionwhite
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 03:05 PM@14 ... do you really believe your own propaganda? Leedsls27 is not the only one who feels as he does and he's correct, this , and most other sites, have become more positive over the last few days since NW's appointment but that doesn't necessarily mean that any of us are KB lovers or supporters ... probably the only thing we all support is Leeds United, through the good times and the bad..
John Newsome
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:38 PMleeds27 #13; Where would we be without you? The reason we now have a superb manager is that Bates has been forced to act in the wake of falling crowds and a dire level of ST renewals. The situation has improved because enough people took a very hard decision. We have Warnock here now inspite of you, not because of you.
leedsls27
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:11 PMIs it just me or has this place become a happier place in the last few days? What's happened to all the purveyors of doom, the march organisers, the stay away protesters and general run of the mill moaning g1ts? Look at it now compared to a week ago, even though we were apparently on the precipice of anarchy before the donny game Leeds United still managed to secure the services of the manager that most of us would have had as first choice under any circumstances, and one that five other clubs were actively chasing, whilst Wolves, a Premiership club, are still on their @rse looking at anyone from the tea lady downwards because everyone else of note, including our manager, has knocked them back. In spite of everything I bit the bullet and renewed season tickets a few weeks ago for myself and my son and, yes, I do feel a slight need to stick two fingers up to those that didn't because I have supported Leeds United all my life, not the chairman, not the next kiss the badge captain or 20 goal a season, gone next, striker but Leeds United and that faith has been re justified recently. I now have a long shot chance of Premiership football next season at current prices because I believe in supporting the club, whatever the circumstances. Ye of little faith, you need to take a long look at yourselves and think where we might have been if the same level of support and optimism of the last few days had been replicated over the last few months. We might still struggle this season because it's not going to be an overnight job but I still feel like I've done my bit, how many of you lot can say the same...
bramley whites
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:53 AMTownesend gone back to spurs lol he doesnt like it at leeds ! if the heat is to much for you runaway lol he be at the puppys tmra you watch ! leeds leeds leeds
lufc1304
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:19 AMFinally, we have manager who will stand up the old goat and not accept any of his BS. Whether he can get him to loosen the purse-strings remains to be seen, though I suspect NW wouldn't have come without some assurances. MOT!!
dkershaw4
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:12 AMGlad we have got Niel in and given a bit of time i am sure we will get up .... Shame about the Delph injury but we can only have so many players on-lone and if this means we can now get an good solid strong midfielder in then it might be for the best ..... Niel has a track record of getting the best out of players so maybe we can be in for a supprise and see the likes of Bromdy, Obrien, come into the back line and be like new signings..... next 4 games are vital good luck warnock
Hong Kong Whites
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 11:05 AMKnowing Ken Bates, it will probably be Lambrini rather than Don served in the dressing room if we get promoted.
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