Yorkshire Post 16/3/07
United by the fight, says Wise
By Richard Sutcliffe
DENNIS WISE has insisted the job of reviving Leeds United's fortunes is not too big for him and Gus Poyet as their side prepare for tomorrow's crunch relegation showdown with Southend United.
The Elland Road club are at their lowest ebb on the field and in grave danger of dropping out of the top two divisions for the first time.
Defeat tomorrow at fourth bottom Southend would leave Leeds six points, or seven if their shockingly bad goal difference is taken into account, adrift of safety with just seven games remaining.
Despite that, Wise remains in defiant mood as United prepare for their first ever visit to Roots Hall with the former England international stressing all is not lost for the Championship's bottom side.
Reflecting on his first four-and-a-half months in charge, he said: "It has been a bit mad, really, in terms of some of the situations.
"I have never known some of the things that have happened at this football club, happen anywhere else that I have been. We have had to deal with the mad things over the last four-and-a-half months. Crazy, really.
"But we are still in it. We still believe. We are slightly closer to certain teams than we were before. We were a few points behind at one stage and now we have gradually clawed back a few teams.
"There are other teams now that we look at think 'hold on, they are not quite out of it'. I don't think it would be very fair to mention the team because he is a friend of mine."
Burnley, whose manager Steve Cotterill was a former team-mate of Wise at Wimbledon, are a club in freefall at the moment after failing to win in 17 league games.
The Clarets remain six points clear of Leeds, however, and have two games in hand, while the two clubs level on points with the Lancashire outfit, Hull and Barnsley, are in good form.
Leeds are running out of games and the common consensus among supporters is the fight will be all but over if they fail to win at Southend.
Wise, however, has stressed that even if Leeds do not win tomorrow, all will not be lost. He said: "There would still be 21 points to play for, which is a hell of a lot. There will be a lot of ups and downs over the coming weeks.
"There are a few games we are looking at that we have a fantastic chance of winning. It is far from over if we do not get a result against Southend. There are too many points to play for."
Wise's reign at Elland Road started with a 2-0 home victory over Southend last October but United have managed just six more wins in their subsequent 24 outings.
It should be pointed out that Leeds were a club in disarray when the former Swindon and Millwall manager took over with embarrassing results on the pitch being accompanied by rumours of dressing room rifts off it.
The task of turning round the club is clearly huge but the United manager insists he and assistant Poyet are relishing the challenge.
He said: "We enjoy it. And no, it (the job) has never been too big for us. This is a learning curve and it is good for us. It is a hard time and if we get through this, it will be fantastic.
"We have had to change a lot of things and we have had to deal with situations. But at the end of the day we want to make this club a great club. That is why me and Gus came here.
"This is Leeds United and everyone expects. Six years ago, Leeds were in the Champions League. That brings a lot of expectation to the club."
Unfortunately, it hasn't happened for a few years. But we are trying to change that. We have not come here part-time, to just do a job for a few months."We have come here long-term to try and sort this football club out. And to try and get it where it belongs, in the Premiership. That is what we want to achieve.
"We will have good times and bad times. But we have to stay strong as a group. We want to succeed and make it happen."
Wise even got support from an unexpected quarter yesterday when Prime minister Tony Blair backed the Leeds manager to steer the club clear of relegation.Blair claimed former Millwall boss Wise was the right man to lift the current gloom at Elland Road.Blair said: "I think Dennis Wise is a good manager and I know it's been tough for them but I hope they pull through it and actually I think they're showing a lot of spirit and a lot of fight. "People are very passionate about their football."Sometimes they go through bad times, but I'm sure Leeds will pick up."Blair was speaking after officially opening a new building at Carr Manor High School in Leeds.
United by the fight, says Wise
By Richard Sutcliffe
DENNIS WISE has insisted the job of reviving Leeds United's fortunes is not too big for him and Gus Poyet as their side prepare for tomorrow's crunch relegation showdown with Southend United.
The Elland Road club are at their lowest ebb on the field and in grave danger of dropping out of the top two divisions for the first time.
Defeat tomorrow at fourth bottom Southend would leave Leeds six points, or seven if their shockingly bad goal difference is taken into account, adrift of safety with just seven games remaining.
Despite that, Wise remains in defiant mood as United prepare for their first ever visit to Roots Hall with the former England international stressing all is not lost for the Championship's bottom side.
Reflecting on his first four-and-a-half months in charge, he said: "It has been a bit mad, really, in terms of some of the situations.
"I have never known some of the things that have happened at this football club, happen anywhere else that I have been. We have had to deal with the mad things over the last four-and-a-half months. Crazy, really.
"But we are still in it. We still believe. We are slightly closer to certain teams than we were before. We were a few points behind at one stage and now we have gradually clawed back a few teams.
"There are other teams now that we look at think 'hold on, they are not quite out of it'. I don't think it would be very fair to mention the team because he is a friend of mine."
Burnley, whose manager Steve Cotterill was a former team-mate of Wise at Wimbledon, are a club in freefall at the moment after failing to win in 17 league games.
The Clarets remain six points clear of Leeds, however, and have two games in hand, while the two clubs level on points with the Lancashire outfit, Hull and Barnsley, are in good form.
Leeds are running out of games and the common consensus among supporters is the fight will be all but over if they fail to win at Southend.
Wise, however, has stressed that even if Leeds do not win tomorrow, all will not be lost. He said: "There would still be 21 points to play for, which is a hell of a lot. There will be a lot of ups and downs over the coming weeks.
"There are a few games we are looking at that we have a fantastic chance of winning. It is far from over if we do not get a result against Southend. There are too many points to play for."
Wise's reign at Elland Road started with a 2-0 home victory over Southend last October but United have managed just six more wins in their subsequent 24 outings.
It should be pointed out that Leeds were a club in disarray when the former Swindon and Millwall manager took over with embarrassing results on the pitch being accompanied by rumours of dressing room rifts off it.
The task of turning round the club is clearly huge but the United manager insists he and assistant Poyet are relishing the challenge.
He said: "We enjoy it. And no, it (the job) has never been too big for us. This is a learning curve and it is good for us. It is a hard time and if we get through this, it will be fantastic.
"We have had to change a lot of things and we have had to deal with situations. But at the end of the day we want to make this club a great club. That is why me and Gus came here.
"This is Leeds United and everyone expects. Six years ago, Leeds were in the Champions League. That brings a lot of expectation to the club."
Unfortunately, it hasn't happened for a few years. But we are trying to change that. We have not come here part-time, to just do a job for a few months."We have come here long-term to try and sort this football club out. And to try and get it where it belongs, in the Premiership. That is what we want to achieve.
"We will have good times and bad times. But we have to stay strong as a group. We want to succeed and make it happen."
Wise even got support from an unexpected quarter yesterday when Prime minister Tony Blair backed the Leeds manager to steer the club clear of relegation.Blair claimed former Millwall boss Wise was the right man to lift the current gloom at Elland Road.Blair said: "I think Dennis Wise is a good manager and I know it's been tough for them but I hope they pull through it and actually I think they're showing a lot of spirit and a lot of fight. "People are very passionate about their football."Sometimes they go through bad times, but I'm sure Leeds will pick up."Blair was speaking after officially opening a new building at Carr Manor High School in Leeds.