Times Online - Sport
Blackwell goes for experience
A SIGNIFICANT OVERHAUL HAS TAKEN place at Elland Road in the wake of one of the most disappointing seasons in Leeds United’s history. Almost an entire squad has been sold to help reduce the club’s crippling wage bill, which once stood at a staggering £53 million, while Kevin Blackwell, who was appointed permanent manager during the summer, has been given minimal funds in return to somehow rebuild a side capable of challenging for an immediate return to the Premiership.
Blackwell has plundered the transfer market to sign a host of seasoned campaigners on free transfers, pinning his faith in experience instead of youthful promise and potential. The manager has delivered players with points to prove after disappointing spells at previous clubs.
Michael Ricketts, the forward who cost Middlesbrough £3.5 million in January last year, is hoping to regain the form that once earned him an England call-up while Julian Joachim and Danny Cadamarteri have both seen their careers drift aimlessly since leaving Aston Villa and Everton respectively.
The fact remains, however, that such has been the damaging transition that Leeds have been forced to undertake that Blackwell could find himself fielding a completely new team for the first game of the season.
The Elland Road supporters, smarting from relegation from the Permiership, had to endure the loss of Alan Smith to Manchester United and then saw James Milner, a product of the youth system and a great hope for the future, sold to Newcastle United for a knock-down price of £3.6 million. A good start to the season would dispel the gloom.
On paper, Leeds have match-winners but Blackwell must discover the right blend and produce consistent performances from his more high-profile signings if his team are to succeed.
He said: “It will be a case of everyone settling down quickly and getting used to each other. Having experience helps but this is a very difficult league we now find ourselves in and playing Leeds will be like a cup final for the majority of our opponents.
“Everyone will want to beat us so there can’t be a lack of character, like there has been in recent times.”JC
MANAGER KEVIN BLACKWELL
GROUND ELLAND ROAD
CAPACITY 40,242
LAST SEASON 19tH PREMIERSHIP
WEBSITE www.leedsunited.com
ADULT TICKET PRICES £18
CONTACT NO 0113 3676000
KEYCLASH
AUGUST 7, 2004
DERBY COUNTY (H)
This match may not represent the greatest challenge of the season for Leeds, but it nevertheless promises to set the tone for the club’s campaign.
It will be a game that the long-suffering supporters at Elland Road will expect their team to win, yet if Leeds have been consistent in one aspect of their dramatic downfall, it has been in their inconsistency. In a division with a considerable number of good teams and a fair few tough, if uninspired, sides, any drop-off in form is likely to be punished.
However, Derby County have the look of a side that could struggle. Should Leeds open with a win, then it could prove to be the catalyst for a strong season. A loss would deepen concerns in Yorkshire and anything less than a campaign that ends in the play-offs would be deemed disastrous for the likes of Michael Duberry.
INS AND OUTS
Ins: Free transfers: N Sullivan, Chelsea; D Pugh, Man Utd; C Carlisle, QPR; P Butler, Wolves; M Spring, Luton; B Deane, West Ham; J Joachim, Coventry; D Cadamarteri, Bradford; M Ricketts, Middlesbrough.
Outs: M Viduka, Middlesbrough, £4.5m; A Smith, Man Utd, £7m; P Robinson, Tottenham, £1.5m; J Milner, Newcastle, £3.6m. Free transfers: I Harte, Levante; D Matteo, Blackburn; D Mills, Man City; M Bridges, Bolton; J Wilcox, Leicester; S McPhail, Barnsley. Released: D Batty, J Morris
THE FIXTURES
August
7 Derby (H)
10 Gillingham (A)
14 Wolverhampton (A)
21 Nottm Forest (H)
29 Sheff Utd (A)
31 Watford (H)
September
11 Coventry (H)
14 Plymouth (A)
18 Crewe (A)
24 Sunderland (H)
28 Stoke (H)
October
2 Cardiff (A)
16 Preston (H)
19 Reading (A)
23 Brighton (A)
31 Wigan (H)
November
3 Burnley (H)
6 Preston (A)
13 Ipswich (A)
20 QPR (H)
27 Rotherham (A)
December
4 Leicester (H)
10 West Ham (A)
19 Millwall (H)
26 Sunderland (A)
28 Plymouth (H)
January
1 Crewe (H)
3 Coventry (A)
15 Cardiff (H)
22 Stoke (A)
February
5 Burnley (A)
12 Reading (H)
19 Wigan (A)
22 Brighton (H)
26 West Ham (H)
March
5 Millwall (A)
12 Gillingham (H)
16 Nottm Forest (A)
19 Derby (A)
April
2 Wolverhampton (H)
5 Sheff Utd (H)
9 Watford (A)
16 QPR (A)
23 Ipswich (H)
30 Leicester (A)
May
8 Rotherham (H)
Blackwell goes for experience
A SIGNIFICANT OVERHAUL HAS TAKEN place at Elland Road in the wake of one of the most disappointing seasons in Leeds United’s history. Almost an entire squad has been sold to help reduce the club’s crippling wage bill, which once stood at a staggering £53 million, while Kevin Blackwell, who was appointed permanent manager during the summer, has been given minimal funds in return to somehow rebuild a side capable of challenging for an immediate return to the Premiership.
Blackwell has plundered the transfer market to sign a host of seasoned campaigners on free transfers, pinning his faith in experience instead of youthful promise and potential. The manager has delivered players with points to prove after disappointing spells at previous clubs.
Michael Ricketts, the forward who cost Middlesbrough £3.5 million in January last year, is hoping to regain the form that once earned him an England call-up while Julian Joachim and Danny Cadamarteri have both seen their careers drift aimlessly since leaving Aston Villa and Everton respectively.
The fact remains, however, that such has been the damaging transition that Leeds have been forced to undertake that Blackwell could find himself fielding a completely new team for the first game of the season.
The Elland Road supporters, smarting from relegation from the Permiership, had to endure the loss of Alan Smith to Manchester United and then saw James Milner, a product of the youth system and a great hope for the future, sold to Newcastle United for a knock-down price of £3.6 million. A good start to the season would dispel the gloom.
On paper, Leeds have match-winners but Blackwell must discover the right blend and produce consistent performances from his more high-profile signings if his team are to succeed.
He said: “It will be a case of everyone settling down quickly and getting used to each other. Having experience helps but this is a very difficult league we now find ourselves in and playing Leeds will be like a cup final for the majority of our opponents.
“Everyone will want to beat us so there can’t be a lack of character, like there has been in recent times.”JC
MANAGER KEVIN BLACKWELL
GROUND ELLAND ROAD
CAPACITY 40,242
LAST SEASON 19tH PREMIERSHIP
WEBSITE www.leedsunited.com
ADULT TICKET PRICES £18
CONTACT NO 0113 3676000
KEYCLASH
AUGUST 7, 2004
DERBY COUNTY (H)
This match may not represent the greatest challenge of the season for Leeds, but it nevertheless promises to set the tone for the club’s campaign.
It will be a game that the long-suffering supporters at Elland Road will expect their team to win, yet if Leeds have been consistent in one aspect of their dramatic downfall, it has been in their inconsistency. In a division with a considerable number of good teams and a fair few tough, if uninspired, sides, any drop-off in form is likely to be punished.
However, Derby County have the look of a side that could struggle. Should Leeds open with a win, then it could prove to be the catalyst for a strong season. A loss would deepen concerns in Yorkshire and anything less than a campaign that ends in the play-offs would be deemed disastrous for the likes of Michael Duberry.
INS AND OUTS
Ins: Free transfers: N Sullivan, Chelsea; D Pugh, Man Utd; C Carlisle, QPR; P Butler, Wolves; M Spring, Luton; B Deane, West Ham; J Joachim, Coventry; D Cadamarteri, Bradford; M Ricketts, Middlesbrough.
Outs: M Viduka, Middlesbrough, £4.5m; A Smith, Man Utd, £7m; P Robinson, Tottenham, £1.5m; J Milner, Newcastle, £3.6m. Free transfers: I Harte, Levante; D Matteo, Blackburn; D Mills, Man City; M Bridges, Bolton; J Wilcox, Leicester; S McPhail, Barnsley. Released: D Batty, J Morris
THE FIXTURES
August
7 Derby (H)
10 Gillingham (A)
14 Wolverhampton (A)
21 Nottm Forest (H)
29 Sheff Utd (A)
31 Watford (H)
September
11 Coventry (H)
14 Plymouth (A)
18 Crewe (A)
24 Sunderland (H)
28 Stoke (H)
October
2 Cardiff (A)
16 Preston (H)
19 Reading (A)
23 Brighton (A)
31 Wigan (H)
November
3 Burnley (H)
6 Preston (A)
13 Ipswich (A)
20 QPR (H)
27 Rotherham (A)
December
4 Leicester (H)
10 West Ham (A)
19 Millwall (H)
26 Sunderland (A)
28 Plymouth (H)
January
1 Crewe (H)
3 Coventry (A)
15 Cardiff (H)
22 Stoke (A)
February
5 Burnley (A)
12 Reading (H)
19 Wigan (A)
22 Brighton (H)
26 West Ham (H)
March
5 Millwall (A)
12 Gillingham (H)
16 Nottm Forest (A)
19 Derby (A)
April
2 Wolverhampton (H)
5 Sheff Utd (H)
9 Watford (A)
16 QPR (A)
23 Ipswich (H)
30 Leicester (A)
May
8 Rotherham (H)