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Leeds United: It’s only right Redfearn gets a chance - Lorimer
UNHERALDED: Nigel Adkins.
I see the selection of the next Leeds United manager as a crucial decision for the future of the football club.
Whoever replaces Simon Grayson must bridge the gap and take us to the Premier League, the goal we’ve all been aiming for. It’s an important call and there’s a danger in these situations of rushing into an appointment you later regret.
It’s fortunate for us that we have Neil Redfearn ready and able to manage the squad while the process continues. It’s given us the breathing space we need to get this decision right and, from what Ken Bates is saying, it’s not impossible that Neil will secure the job himself.
Make no mistake, his chances of doing so will be dependent on results – that’s always the case for a caretaker manager. But why shouldn’t the club consider what’s available internally as well as considering the managers who’ve put themselves forward externally? Neil’s a very capable coach and there’s no reason to rule him out just because he’s not a ‘big name’.
I always remember the story Harry Reynolds, the old Leeds chairman, tells about the appointment of Don Revie. He was driving to sign up a more experienced manager when it occurred to him that he already had someone at Elland Road ready and willing to do the job. Leeds took a leap of faith with Don and the rest is history. It proved to be our golden era.
Maybe Neil will prove himself to be an excellent manager in waiting, or maybe not. All I know is that he deserves the opportunity to show what he can do and I’m sure that in the meantime consideration of all the other candidates will continue. It might look from the outside like little has been happening, but everyone is aware of the need to take our time and avoid any mistakes.
Obviously a number of supporters will be looking, or hoping, for the arrival of a manager they know and recognise – someone with a big reputation. That’s one route open to us, but the obvious choice is not always the successful choice – look at Steve McClaren at Nottingham Forest and Sven-Goran Eriksson at Leicester City.
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In both instances we all expected them to achieve big things in a short period of time. In both instances they were out the door without making any impression at all. I can’t speak for either of those men but often what you’re looking for is a manager with ambition, drive and a will to win, rather than someone with a name.
Nigel Adkins at Southampton is a very good example of that – low profile, unfamiliar, but extremely good at his job and clearly desperate to succeed. I’d love to see what Southampton’s fans were saying about him when he first went there.
That’s not to say that Neil Redfearn will land the job at Leeds, but if he shows promise in the next few games then it would be daft not to consider him. Any decision has to be open-minded.
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Comments
There are 68 comments to this article
Page 1 of 5
brucey333
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 10:20 AMOh my word, this club is going no where fast, Lorimer you are so wrong on this, deserves a chance to manage our great club, with 17 games to go when we are close to playoffs, so yes, let's try the cleaner after that and then maybe the pizza delivery man, maybe the players like them. Imagine this at man united, Fergie leaves and the club say were going to give the youth team manager a go, morinio can wait as our youth team manager is really good and well liked, this is beyond belief drivel and stinks of the cheap option again, to all Leeds fans still thinking things are ok , wake up and smell the coffee . ,
Liam123
Sunday, February 12, 2012 at 12:42 PMGiver us your thoughts now Peter, I can write your nex article for you. It was never our intention to appoint neil full time, we were working away beind the scenes securing the right man for the job, blah blah blah, now with two games to go the new man has the full backing of the chairman and the board..... We are hoping for promotion next season and the new man will have a mighty war chest in the summer. Ps season tickets are still available, pps we are currently looking to sign Alan smith if that will make a few more gullible mugs buy a few more tickets.
jjlaca
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 06:01 PM"It’s given us the breathing space we need to get this decision right and, from what Ken Bates is saying, it’s not impossible that Neil will secure the job himself." We? Clearly the chairman does whatever he wants. The Board are just figureheads - no more.
white4life
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 04:40 PMComment 64 - this isn't mine. So what is going on at YEP?
white4life
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 04:14 PMPending Moderation
afraidofbeards
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 10:32 AMLorimer - what a joke - and why does the YEP not make a plea for a genuine manager with a track record in getting into the Premiership?? Everything on the cheap except looking after Bates new East Stand. BATES OUT - LORIMER OUT - HARVEY OUT - These three are true 'white s***e".
8272evans51
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 08:57 AMLufc wf4 i can concur what you say about pl been in the same position myself no ledgend in my eyes just bates mouth piece
StevieDee
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 08:52 AMI think Bates wants promotion as this will secure greater financial rewards for him. Premier League status will far outweigh any payments to creditors specially if that £18 million debt is as closely connected to the individual concerned as we all think it is. Staying in the Championship does not make commercial sense to anyone, Bates included. He just won't shell out to do it.
StevieDee
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 08:26 AMRedfearn's a difficult one for me. The demons in me suggest that he is a cheap alternative for Bates and probably a stop gap until the end of the season. His track record in the hot seat is less than impressive. However, he has been successful running the youth team, he appears to have the backing of the players, something Grayson looked to have lost and he knows Leeds United. Again, with reference to his track record, he was hardly at top flight clubs and probably working with substandard squads (yes it sounds like Leeds United in some respects........) so 100% win records were always unlikley. I'm happy that we wait to get the right person provided its for the right reasons and not because it suits the increasingly deep and seemingly empty pockets of a certain chairman.
pattaya tyke
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 02:24 AMOn a previous subject someone,I forget who, posted the statistical record of Neil Redfearn's previous attempts at managing football teams. It reads as follows:- P58, W10, D13, L35. Not very awe inspiring is it. It doesn't come anywhere the record of the man we have just got rid of. It doesn't suggest any inspirational or motivational skills to me. He's obviously good coach, but football management is an entirely different ball game. Take Brian Kidd for example, a great coach, but absolute crap as a manager. Mr Bates is wasting our time and I think it's another of his devious ploys to ensure we do not get promoted this season, therefore avoiding Mr Bates having to pay the creditors the reported £35m compensation.I know that getting a known manager is not a guarrantee of success, but the odds are much more favourable than those of a novice manager.
OzTyke
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 12:54 AMAbsolute silence from Elland Road except for Bates' ridiculous carry-on about Sven, Bates staying in Monaco, Harvey apparently on holidays, is anyone at all at ER actively reading applications, interviewing or looking to appoint any of the "inundation" of candidates? Is it a one-man show, or will this crucial decision be discussed at Board level? Come on Peter, without giving too much away, can we expect a decision soon, have there been Board discussions, has a short-list been arrived at, or can we assume all letters have been thrown in the open fire in Monaco to keep Ken warm?
whitewolf
Saturday, February 11, 2012 at 12:08 AMmr lorimer...how quickly you turned on grayson,so your words to print mean nothing.refearn is just another inexpensive way at leeds united.i bet you knew that grayson was going to be fired,one minute all your articles are for grayson then its time for a breath of fresh air...suppose he does turn out to be another revie...do you really think that bates will support him and keep the players.7 seasons and the same lie rules the roost and your part of it.
Mick Taker
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 11:05 PMMore unique insight from Uncle Peter - the next manager needs to be successful & the next manager might be Neil Redfearn, or it might not be. Never! As usual, it reads as part of the current regime's PR strategy to manage expectations downwards, gently, so us morons don't realise. For every Adkins, there's a Steve Kean, or Brian Kidd. Who was our last manager promoted from within the existing management hierachy? Blackwell? Carver? O'Leary?
LeedsBulldog
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:50 PMLorimer - ive read your comments so please read mine = WALOB!
case
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:35 PMGemania, everything in this article could have been writen by a five year old providing Ken had paid hisher pocket money.
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