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Leeds want good Gord
By MICHAEL MORGAN
LEEDS are ready to offer Gordon Strachan a treble-your-money £1.5million deal to take over as Elland Road boss this summer.
Strachan, 46, has paved the way for a return to his old club by announcing he will quit as Southampton boss at the end of this season.
That is when the fiery Scot’s £500,000-a-year deal at St Mary’s runs out.
Strach is leaving for personal reasons and wants a 12-month break from football management — but crisis club Leeds look certain to make their former midfielder an offer he cannot refuse to revive the Yorkshire club’s fortunes next term.
Former Elland Road plc vice-chairman Allan Leighton has put together a four-man consortium that is set to make a formal offer for the debt-ridden club.
But Leighton first wants to see whether Leeds get relegated this season.
The price could be as high as £80m if they stay up. But the club will be worth less than half that amount if they tumble into the Nationwide League.
Leighton has identified Strachan as his top choice to succeed Peter Reid, who was fired as Elland Road boss last November.
United were unable to move for Strachan then after it was revealed that they had debts of £83m and faced the threat of administration.
But the Saints boss remains Leighton’s choice to lead the club into a new era.
And Leighton will now have the financial clout to get his man at the end of the season thanks to the mega-wealth of stores boss Philip Green — who is on the consortium.
United’s creditors will give Leeds a stay of execution beyond their January 19 deadline because a takeover is in the pipeline.
And this will give Leighton time to persuade Strachan to come aboard.
Leeds caretaker-boss Eddie Gray has told his players the time has come to deliver if Leeds are to beat relegation.
They have taken only two points from their last four games and currently sit second from bottom.
Gray can now expect to stay in temporary charge for the rest of the campaign.
And he admitted: “We need to start going into games without that fear of losing. It is difficult at a club in our position with the expectation levels here. But the boys have to overcome this and have the confidence and courage to try things because that is what wins matches. They have to express themselves more. That is what happens with the top teams — and it is that freedom of expression that keeps them there. Manchester United and Arsenal have top players who can go out and change the course of games. That’s what makes the likes of Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires great players. I am confident we have the players here who can do that. Jermaine Pennant and James Milner may only be young, but they can transform matches with their ability. But time is not on our side. We have to start winning games — quickly.”
Leeds want good Gord
By MICHAEL MORGAN
LEEDS are ready to offer Gordon Strachan a treble-your-money £1.5million deal to take over as Elland Road boss this summer.
Strachan, 46, has paved the way for a return to his old club by announcing he will quit as Southampton boss at the end of this season.
That is when the fiery Scot’s £500,000-a-year deal at St Mary’s runs out.
Strach is leaving for personal reasons and wants a 12-month break from football management — but crisis club Leeds look certain to make their former midfielder an offer he cannot refuse to revive the Yorkshire club’s fortunes next term.
Former Elland Road plc vice-chairman Allan Leighton has put together a four-man consortium that is set to make a formal offer for the debt-ridden club.
But Leighton first wants to see whether Leeds get relegated this season.
The price could be as high as £80m if they stay up. But the club will be worth less than half that amount if they tumble into the Nationwide League.
Leighton has identified Strachan as his top choice to succeed Peter Reid, who was fired as Elland Road boss last November.
United were unable to move for Strachan then after it was revealed that they had debts of £83m and faced the threat of administration.
But the Saints boss remains Leighton’s choice to lead the club into a new era.
And Leighton will now have the financial clout to get his man at the end of the season thanks to the mega-wealth of stores boss Philip Green — who is on the consortium.
United’s creditors will give Leeds a stay of execution beyond their January 19 deadline because a takeover is in the pipeline.
And this will give Leighton time to persuade Strachan to come aboard.
Leeds caretaker-boss Eddie Gray has told his players the time has come to deliver if Leeds are to beat relegation.
They have taken only two points from their last four games and currently sit second from bottom.
Gray can now expect to stay in temporary charge for the rest of the campaign.
And he admitted: “We need to start going into games without that fear of losing. It is difficult at a club in our position with the expectation levels here. But the boys have to overcome this and have the confidence and courage to try things because that is what wins matches. They have to express themselves more. That is what happens with the top teams — and it is that freedom of expression that keeps them there. Manchester United and Arsenal have top players who can go out and change the course of games. That’s what makes the likes of Roy Keane, Ruud van Nistelrooy, Thierry Henry and Robert Pires great players. I am confident we have the players here who can do that. Jermaine Pennant and James Milner may only be young, but they can transform matches with their ability. But time is not on our side. We have to start winning games — quickly.”
