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Managerial Shortlist In Place
The Leeds board are working hard towards a managerial appointment but will not be pressurised into making a hasty decision.
Chairman Gerald Krasner confirmed to Leedsunited.com that a shortlist of candidates for the job has been drawn up and the board's next move would be to evaluate each candidate to narrow the choice down to one.
With just over 11 weeks to go to the start of the new season, there have been calls for the manager's role to be filled as quickly as possible to give the new man plenty of time to rebuild the squad, Krasner agrees but says you cannot rush such an important decision.
"Of course it needs to be resolved, but like everything else we will not be pressurised into something that is not the right decision for Leeds United," said Krasner.
"We have drawn up a list of who we would like and with having been relegated two weeks before the end of season it has given us two extra weeks to get it right."
"We are not going to say an appointment will be made this week or in two weeks time because if it's a few days late we will get hammered for it again, so as and when we have a manager who has said yes to the job we will announce it.
"These things take time and we are working on this appointment as we speak."
The media has swung the spotlight onto five names for the vacancy, former United midfield ace Gordon Strachan, Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie, Wigan manager Paul Jewell, Stoke's Tony Pulis and current Leeds head coach Kevin Blackwell. The board though will not be drawn into commenting on the speculation.
The Chairman revealed that whilst the timing of Eddie Gray's departure from the club has come as a shock to many, it was in accordance with the Leeds legend's wishes.
"We have been criticised already for the timing of Eddie's departure, but once we discussed the position with Eddie Gray it was Eddie's wish that he go now and we simply respected that wish," he added.
Head Coach Kevin Blackwell, who takes charge of Leeds for the final game of the season against Chelsea, says Leeds have to act quickly to ensure they don't miss out on the players the club is going to need to fight for promotion next season.
"There are clubs in the First Division now that are now signing players or setting them up to come in," said Blackwell.
"They know their squads but we have to sign in the region of ten to twelve players, and that's a massive amount of players and if we do delay, come the beginning on June most of the good players have been taken and you are only left with what you can do and that is not good enough for Leeds United.
"Things have to be done quickly, they have to make the appointment soon and put the structure in to the football club to move it forward."
Managerial Shortlist In Place
The Leeds board are working hard towards a managerial appointment but will not be pressurised into making a hasty decision.
Chairman Gerald Krasner confirmed to Leedsunited.com that a shortlist of candidates for the job has been drawn up and the board's next move would be to evaluate each candidate to narrow the choice down to one.
With just over 11 weeks to go to the start of the new season, there have been calls for the manager's role to be filled as quickly as possible to give the new man plenty of time to rebuild the squad, Krasner agrees but says you cannot rush such an important decision.
"Of course it needs to be resolved, but like everything else we will not be pressurised into something that is not the right decision for Leeds United," said Krasner.
"We have drawn up a list of who we would like and with having been relegated two weeks before the end of season it has given us two extra weeks to get it right."
"We are not going to say an appointment will be made this week or in two weeks time because if it's a few days late we will get hammered for it again, so as and when we have a manager who has said yes to the job we will announce it.
"These things take time and we are working on this appointment as we speak."
The media has swung the spotlight onto five names for the vacancy, former United midfield ace Gordon Strachan, Crystal Palace boss Iain Dowie, Wigan manager Paul Jewell, Stoke's Tony Pulis and current Leeds head coach Kevin Blackwell. The board though will not be drawn into commenting on the speculation.
The Chairman revealed that whilst the timing of Eddie Gray's departure from the club has come as a shock to many, it was in accordance with the Leeds legend's wishes.
"We have been criticised already for the timing of Eddie's departure, but once we discussed the position with Eddie Gray it was Eddie's wish that he go now and we simply respected that wish," he added.
Head Coach Kevin Blackwell, who takes charge of Leeds for the final game of the season against Chelsea, says Leeds have to act quickly to ensure they don't miss out on the players the club is going to need to fight for promotion next season.
"There are clubs in the First Division now that are now signing players or setting them up to come in," said Blackwell.
"They know their squads but we have to sign in the region of ten to twelve players, and that's a massive amount of players and if we do delay, come the beginning on June most of the good players have been taken and you are only left with what you can do and that is not good enough for Leeds United.
"Things have to be done quickly, they have to make the appointment soon and put the structure in to the football club to move it forward."
