Leeds United's Graham Potter situation and Old Firm debate as promotion specialist looks safe bet
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Graham Potter’s odds have come down, sparking speculation among fans that he might be closing in on the job. Brendan Rodgers, meanwhile, was reportedly the subject of an attempted Leeds hijack, as they sought to derail a Celtic return. The YEP reported this morning, however, that Leeds have not met with Rodgers and while he is well liked at Elland Road, the ex-Leicester City boss has not been considered particularly keen on the role or an obtainable target. Daniel Farke and Carlos Corberan are among those Leeds have looked at and both appear to represent a realistic appointment.
Away from the managerial search, Leeds’ takeover is progressing and supporters are asking what the plan will be and when they will hear it from 49ers Enterprises. And with the domestic transfer window now open, ahead of the foreign market, fans are anticipating big change in terms of comings and goings this summer. There are big players with big question marks over their Leeds future and players with big futures for whom a big effort may be needed to retain their services ahead of the 2023/24 campaign. Tyler Adams and Willy Gnonto are on 49ers Enterprises’ list of players they want to try and keep but both will have offers elsewhere when the transfer window is in full swing. Like Gnonto, Charlie Cresswell is among those heading off to the Under 21 European Championships this summer and after a season on loan at Millwall will have plenty of eyeballs on him.
Those topics and more are covered in today’s Q and A, with 31 subjects tackled with what we know, hear and suspect.
Leeds United Q and A
Key Events
- Manager hunt narrowing
- Brendan Rodgers never likely
- 49ers words and plans
@DanOCon9328410 What is a bigger job? A job at an old firm club, big stadium, European football, prestige etc, but a two team league. Or a Championship job at a big club? (Probably a sill question to ask a Rangers fan tbh)
Look at it this way. A manager, let’s call him BR, goes to an Old Firm club and has a good chance of winning a league title and maybe even a double or treble. That kind of season lends itself immediately to a Premier League job, as big Ange has proved. It took a league title for Gerrard but it still worked out fine in terms of an English top flight job - and a good one at that, one he didn’t make the most of. If he succeeds, which he believes he can because he’s done it before, then he knows he will be back in the big time.
Now what if our manager, BR, goes instead to a big Championship club with 36,000 sell out crowds and a global appeal etc etc. There’s a pretty good chance of promotion, but only if this summer goes exactly to plan in terms of recruitment and preparations. There’s a takeover in the air, agreed but not complete. There’s a 46-game season in a league that is both gruelling and competitive. There’s no real guarantee that in a year’s time he will be back in the Premier League.
The third route, of course, is to wait until the Autumn and pick up a job at X Premier League club, but waiting holds its own risks. You’re a long time forgotten and it can come about quicker than managers first think.
@_go_fan_ There will be a busy summer for Ledds. I have one interesting question. What about Helder Costa? Is he still a Leeds player? Does he have a chanse to play in Championship?
Interesting question, even if you do say so yourself. Helder Costa is actually an interesting one because he has twice won the Championship and he was an important player when Bielsa led them to a title. But Leeds didn’t want him and farmed him out. He’s just won a title, out on loan, in a league that is about to be awash with even more money than before. He has a ‘super agent’ looking after his interests and if he doesn’t fancy a return to Leeds he will get a move. Let’s see what he fancies. He is, though, still a Leeds player until next summer.
@lufcgilly Lots of talk around whether the manager or the DoF is more important to land right now. While the hierarchy would usually be a manager reporting into a DoF I personally think, given the impact Bielsa was able to have and given that our need is a short-term one with a strategy still to be built, the manager can be seen as the most crucial appointment to get right on a short term basis. What’s the general consensus on this?
There is a feeling around the club that a high profile director of football can be a lightning rod and a potentially divisive one at that. You don’t need to be a genius to work out why. Leeds have spoken of the potential for a recruitment chief and a head of football operations coming in this summer, but as with everything it’s a moveable feast. If the right candidate came along, someone you felt had the right vision for the club in the short and long-term, with the ability to pull it off, I could still see a director of football arriving. With players returning in just over a couple of weeks, the manager is a really important appointment just now. I think the structure above him needs to be right, but I also see the need for urgency. Maybe the structure can be put into place bit by bit, worked on and evolved, while a good manager gets results in the short term.
@nay_woods Any news on a potential new kit sponsor or does the SBOTOP deal run into next season?
When it was announced, it was a ‘multi-year’ deal between Leeds and SBOTOP. Given there will be a ban in place for betting companies on the front of shirts from the 2026/27 season, clubs with top flight ambition might start to look elsewhere. It would not be a huge surprise if Leeds did so this summer, with new owners in town.
@nashernal When do we expect to hear something/anything from the 49s Enterprises? Also, any further clarity regarding pre-season arrangements? Is the Graham Smyth derby taking place?
I expect 49ers Enterprises to break cover and start addressing the fanbase when their takeover is ratified and complete. To do so right now might not be considered unwise by supporters but you could understand a reticence to say too much or overpromise before you officially take the keys from Andrea Radrizzani.
Pre-season is still being confirmed but we are expecting the game at Ibrox against Glasgow Rangers to be on the summer fixture list.
@LiterallyJamess Sleep Token. Good or ****?
Good. Very good. Scratches that itch for those who like their riffs and moody beats. Genres are a thing of the past anyway. They’re playing Radar Festival in Manchester this summer. Can’t wait.
@calumarchie Hi Graham! If you could pick one player in the squad to stay when they might otherwise leave, who would it be? Hope you're having a good summer before the chaos kicks off again soon
Hi Calum! The temptation to go with a Crysencio Summerville is there, because he’s such a fun player to watch and he works hard defensively too. I’m not sure I can see him staying, however. Willy Gnonto is another you would consider because like Summerville he could tear up the Championship and he’s so entertaining. But if you let your head rule your heart, it’s Tyler Adams, isn’t it? He was good in the Premier League, he would be great in the second tier.
@LeedsShirts13 Hi Graham. Club wanting to keep Cresswell now?
I certainly expect so. There’s a release clause to contend with, so maybe a new contract would help. He’s going to the Under 21 Euros and if he didn’t already have admirers (he does) then he could make himself even hotter property with his performances for England’s Young Lions. A player who has tasted the Championship and overcome a few rocky patches to flourish in a team trying to get to the right end of the table. Why wouldn’t you do everything to keep him? He could play, lots, next season.
@michael__spry Thanks Graham. Love the Pod. Of the youngsters at Leeds (Gelhardt, Cresswell, Drameh and down to the Perkins/Joseph types), how involved do you expect them to be next season? Cheers, Michael from Adelaide, Australia
Flattery will get you an answer. I could see Joe Gelhardt playing, off the bench, but I could see Charlie Cresswell and Cody Drameh potentially starting if things work out the right way this summer. The thing is, both will need to be convinced that they will be playing. Both did so in the Championship last season and did so well, for teams vying for promotion. Drameh clinched it. Why would either stick around to sit on the bench when they know they’re good enough for the level and have big futures? As for Joseph and Perkins, you could see greater involvement than they had last season but not in starting roles, just yet.