Leeds United Football Club - Blackie Here For The Long Haul
Kevin Blackwell may have just come through his first full season in the job but he's already set his sights on holding the reins at Elland Road for a long, long time yet.
The year Blackwell has spent at Elland Road makes him the club's longest serving manager in the last three years, having seen Terry Venables, Peter Reid and Eddie Gray all last a very short time
Reflecting on last season, he believes he has experienced many more problems than most managers would.
Said Blackwell:"There were so many thing that went on that people said would stand me in good stead for my career, but the truth is I did not really want to experience some of the things that went on this year.
"I did have a blast at certain people because I felt that if things did not chance quickly we would find ourselves where Nottingham Forest are today. I was very aggressive and maybe a little bit obnoxious towards certain people in charge but I felt things had to be said.
"I put my job on the line but it wasn't about me, it was about the safety and prosperity of Leeds United Football Club.
"What it has taught me is that you have to be focused and you have to take criticism and be strong enough to come through it.
"I think the biggest testament to me was that we were third favourites to go down and people gave us little chance of surviving,
"Nottingham Forest, European Champions 14 years ago have gone down and Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford and Barnsley - all clubs that have been in the Premiership in the last five years are all down there and that tells us we have done well to stabilise things. That is why I am pleased.
"I have learnt that you have to deal with this division first, nothing else because if you sign good players in this division you have a chance of winning it. If you start dipping into the divisions below thinking you can do it on the cheap then you will most likely end up in that division.
"The players I have signed have giving me everything this season and I am proud of that."
Although he has undoubtedly learnt a lot from this season, and learnt it the hard way to boot, Blackwell is by no means resting on his laurels as he chases success.
"It is still a learning curve for me, I don't know it all and I hope I keep learning next year on the positive side and not the negative. What I do know is that I love being manager of this football club.
"There have been times when you don't sleep at night, you go home and play through everything again but I just don't know what I would do if I wasn't here.
"Please God things turn out the way I want them to, and if they do I would love to be here for 20-years."
Kevin Blackwell may have just come through his first full season in the job but he's already set his sights on holding the reins at Elland Road for a long, long time yet.
The year Blackwell has spent at Elland Road makes him the club's longest serving manager in the last three years, having seen Terry Venables, Peter Reid and Eddie Gray all last a very short time
Reflecting on last season, he believes he has experienced many more problems than most managers would.
Said Blackwell:"There were so many thing that went on that people said would stand me in good stead for my career, but the truth is I did not really want to experience some of the things that went on this year.
"I did have a blast at certain people because I felt that if things did not chance quickly we would find ourselves where Nottingham Forest are today. I was very aggressive and maybe a little bit obnoxious towards certain people in charge but I felt things had to be said.
"I put my job on the line but it wasn't about me, it was about the safety and prosperity of Leeds United Football Club.
"What it has taught me is that you have to be focused and you have to take criticism and be strong enough to come through it.
"I think the biggest testament to me was that we were third favourites to go down and people gave us little chance of surviving,
"Nottingham Forest, European Champions 14 years ago have gone down and Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford and Barnsley - all clubs that have been in the Premiership in the last five years are all down there and that tells us we have done well to stabilise things. That is why I am pleased.
"I have learnt that you have to deal with this division first, nothing else because if you sign good players in this division you have a chance of winning it. If you start dipping into the divisions below thinking you can do it on the cheap then you will most likely end up in that division.
"The players I have signed have giving me everything this season and I am proud of that."
Although he has undoubtedly learnt a lot from this season, and learnt it the hard way to boot, Blackwell is by no means resting on his laurels as he chases success.
"It is still a learning curve for me, I don't know it all and I hope I keep learning next year on the positive side and not the negative. What I do know is that I love being manager of this football club.
"There have been times when you don't sleep at night, you go home and play through everything again but I just don't know what I would do if I wasn't here.
"Please God things turn out the way I want them to, and if they do I would love to be here for 20-years."
