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Leeds United: Redfearn given extended run at the helm
Neil Redfearn.
Leeds United chairman Ken Bates has confirmed that caretaker manager Neil Redfearn is in the running for the full-time post after handing him control for the next three matches.
Redfearn will remain in charge of United’s first-team squad until after their home game against Doncaster Rovers on February 18, with Bates admitting that the 46-year-old “has an opportunity to prove he’s the man for the job.”
Leeds have received countless applications since sacking former boss Simon Grayson last week but Bates’ comments are the clearest indication yet that Leeds could look to replace him permanently with their existing reserve and Under-18s coach.
Redfearn was rated as an outside candidate when he took over as caretaker before Saturday’s match against Bristol City but a 3-0 win at Ashton Gate has earned him an extended spell in the dug-out.
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Bates, who revealed that former England and Leicester City boss Sven-Goran Eriksson is among the many applicants for the vacant post at Leeds, will allow Redfearn to manage Leeds through Saturday’s meeting with Brighton and forthcoming matches against Coventry City and Doncaster.
The run of back-to-back matches is crucial for Leeds with the club two points outside the Championship’s play-off positions, and Redfearn, whose previous experience in the management came at Halifax Town, Scarborough and York City, is likely to be the frontrunner for the job if he guides Leeds safely through the coming nine days.
Bates said: “We’ve decided that Neil will be in charge of the team for at least the next three games - Brighton, Coventry and Doncaster. They’re all winnable and after all the maelstrom we’re only two points off the play-offs.
“After the impressive start Neil’s made - not just with the win but with his presence and start around Thorp Arch - he’ll be given his chance to demonstrate his abilities while we consider the matter carefully and in no hurry.
“Neil’s in the seat and he has an opportunity to prove he’s the man for the job. He does that by winning games and he’s made a good start.”
United sacked Grayson last Wednesday, saying in a statement that they wanted a manager who would “get more out of the existing squad of players and make the difference” with a third of the season remain and Leeds lodged outside the Championship’s top six.
Initial indications were that United would look for a coach with experience of managing a club to the Premier League but Redfearn’s prospects have developed significantly in the space of a week.
Bates said: “It’s a big step up for him but he has a wealth of experience and played over 1,000 games. He also played for Mervyn Day (United’s chief scout) when he was at Charlton so that helps. The step up has been eased by the various relationships he has.
“Saturday was our first clean sheet for two months and the defence was something we had to look at. Quite clearly there’s been a different attitude and atmosphere in the dressing room and that’s reflected in what the players are doing. They’re training much harder than they had been doing.”
Former Queens Park Rangers and Sheffield United boss Neil Warnock was seen by many as a prime contender for the vacant manager’s job, one of numerous experienced and recognisable coaches with an interest in the position.
Speculation in the past week has linked Huddersfield Town’s Lee Clark and MK Dons’ Karl Robinson with a switch to Elland Road, while Dave Jones and Steve Bruce are also keen to take the role on.
One of the more unlikely applications came from former Real Madrid and Barcelona coach Raddy Antic while Bates confirmed that Eriksson, who began this season as Leicester manager, also put his name forward.
Bates said: “As you can imagine we’ve been inundated with applications from the cheeky to the outlandish.
“We’ve had one from Eriksson, would you believe, but he won’t be coming. We’re not going to make any hurried appointment because the next appointment is the big one. Not necessarily big in name but big in significance for the future of Leeds United.
“It would be any manager’s ambition to manage a big club and Leeds is that. But that also brings a wealth of unwanted applications for the wrong reasons. That’s why we’re having to be careful.
“We don’t want any instant miracle-maker. The fans might think it’s a good idea but you rarely find one. We have to get someone who wants to come to Leeds for the right reasons. We’re looking very carefully at the options and the implications of appointing them. What baggage do they carry?”
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Comments
There are 77 comments to this article
Page 1 of 6
phils7
Friday, February 10, 2012 at 10:09 AMI HOPE WE LOSE NEXT 3 GAMES THEN THAT SHOULD FORCE BATES TO GET A EXPERIENCED MAN IN AND WASTING TIME WITH NR FOR 3 GAMES , IT ALL SMACKS OF THAT THE BOARD DO NOT WANT ANY CHANCE OF PROMOTION FOR SOME REASON AND THIS IS BIZZARRE !! LARRY SHOULD HAVE GONE AT XMAS THEN IT WOULD HAVE GIVEN NEW MAN TIME TO USE THE TRANSFER WINDOW LIKE HUGHESY WAS GIVEN AT QPR. BUT NO, WAIT TILL WINDOW IS SHUT THEN DO IT!! WHY IT DOESNT MAKE SENSE. THERE ARE TO MANY POOR DECISIONS COMING FROM THE BOARD THE QUESTION IS WHY!
DAT
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 03:47 PMI wish Neil the best of luck, he will certainly needs some. But let's not kid ourselves, he was the understudy in a mid table second teir team. Don't expect a miracle. Again Best of Luck Neil.
Whackyjacky USA
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:44 PMHere we go again YEP negative. Of course the players would be 100% behind whoever is at the helm(I would hope) Donald Duck the manager - 100% behind him. I beleive the Y E P has some 6 year old in their press box!!!!
DIRTBOY
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:31 AMarmchairtd - You said 'It doesn't matter who the manager is KB will not put his hand in his pocket!!!' I agree completely with that and that is why its unlikely we will ever get in the Premier League under his regime. Still can only hope and will continue supporting!
armchairtd
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 11:02 AMOK, so 'Boro are not struggling that much being above us in the play off places. I have to say that we are very likely to lose some key players but that's going to happen anyway unless things change. How many times do we have to hear that Bates won't invest. It doesn't matter who the manager is KB will not put his hand in his pocket!!! The only way we'll get somone in charge such as Warnock or Davies is if KB gives them cast iron guarantees that key players will stay and not be sold, and funds will be made available to bring in more talent. I have to say I'll be overjoyed because if one of these big names does appear to be coming to Elland Road, KB will have had to have given these assurances. Comment 10! How does that slip through the net YEP and does it help????
OldhamWhite
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 10:35 AMMiddlesborough a struggling Championship side?.........Well I for one would swap places with them now! Anyway back to business I cancelled my LUTV subscription and will continue to support Leeds away from Elland Road, because Bates isn't getting another penny of my money until he does what he is asking us all to do and puts money into HIS club himself!
thirskwhite
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:47 AMwho are LUST?, YEP stop giving these people air time, they do not represent anyone other than themselves. I have been to hundreds of games and never been asked to support or join or back these fools. Self appointed supporters groups who are going to mastermind a take over at ER from there spare box room in seacroft...do me a favour....reality check needed big style...its never going to happen...MOT
Liam123
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:26 AMarmchairtd - That 2012 2013 season will be without the likes of Snodgrass, White, possibly McCormack, Clayton and anybody else that has showed a glimmer of hope or potential this year. It was this season or bust in my eyes. We had an opportunity to add to the squad in January and go for promotion this year, instead we sold our captain and sacked our manager. Come the summer there will be a mass exodus of players who won't sign new contracts and will be sold "for the good of the club", and we will be starting from scratch, all over again.
StigM
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 09:15 AMBates is again showing that he speaks and act in the moments, he said that the new manager will have 18 games to get things right, now it is down to 14 in fact if there is a new manager arriving after the 3 next matches. I am NOT saying that Redfearn is the wrong choice at all, looking at quite a few of the names conected to the job I think Redfearn is a good choice and we should support him and the team. What Bates is doing here is testing if Redfearn is the right man, it does not have to be the wrong thing to do, but when doing this they should have given him the rest of the season for sure. Bates also use the oppotunity to give the supportes a new cikck in the leg by saying we think there is a magic mananger out there somwhere and we think this is the solution to all our problems. He actually think we are stupid, in his mind we are just there to drain money out of and our oppinions belong in kinder garden. He say in the home page that LUFC is a huge club with a huge fan base, until now he is more or less right. He does not mention ONE word of the fact that there is more and more empty seats at ER. It seams not to worry him a bit, but he is playing his game towards the supporters that is putting him towards the wall and ask questions he can to answer, or more correctly wont answer. The first sale of season ticets is over, what numbers do you have Bates, how big is the drop from last year. I chalange you to give us the numbers !!??
DIRTBOY
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:30 AMarmchairtd - I don't think Leeds fans aren't going to support Redfearn and will provide genuine support to him but we are allowed our opinion. You seem happy for him to be appointed on a permanent basis and you are confident he will succeed. I hope you are right. Personally I would like to see Warnock or Davies given the job due to their proven record or Strachan but do they have to apply for the job? have they? I think long term Redfearn isn't up to it and will be found out but he will have my support.
armchairtd
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:08 AMLast night Middlesborough had 9 players on the field who were homegrown talent! That is NINE from the academy, and if any of you didn't see it you missed a brilliant local derby cup tie, where a struggling championship side very nearly took a top half premiership club to penalties. I think we need to rebuild. 'Redders' (as everyoone seems to call him already) knows the regular 1st team squad well, but also knows the talent coming through the ranks. I say for this reason give him a go, certainly to the end of the season. If we don't make the playoffs, so be it,. He then has the closed season to build and repair for a battletto gain automatic promotion 20122013 season.It is high time we all stopped bleating and calling for Bates head, upsetting the squad and got back to providing some geniuine support!!
armchairtd
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:06 AMLast night Middlesborough had 9 players on the field who were homegrown talent! That is NINE from the academy, and if any of you didn't see it you missed a brilliant local derby cup tie, where a struggling championship side very nearly took a top half premiership club to penalties. I think we need to rebuild. 'Redders' (as everyoone seems to call him already) knows the regular 1st team squad well, but also knows the talent coming through the ranks. I say for this reason give him a go, certainly to the end of the season. If we don't make the playoffs, so be it,. He then has the closed season to build and repair for a battletto gain automatic promotion 20122013 season.It is high time we all stopped bleating and calling for Bates head, upsetting the squad and got back to providing some geniuine support!!
DIRTBOY
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 08:04 AMLast week it was 'the new manager has got 18 games' and now its, "We’re in no hurry, there’ll be no hurried appointment " No wonder we have no confidence in Bates leadership.
lufcforever
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 04:51 AMwhat ken means is AM NOT PARTING WITH ANY MONEY
Gogol
Thursday, February 9, 2012 at 12:45 AMIt's all quite simple really: BATES OUT!
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