Yorkshire Evening Post 26/12/08
Grayson is the right choice
By Phil Hay
Though an unexpected selection for many in Leeds, former Leicester City captain Steve Walsh saw perfect sense in Simon Grayson's appointment at Elland Road.
While several other names were championed, Aidy Boothroyd, Gustavo Poyet and Billy Davies among them, Walsh felt that Grayson's strength and the key to Leeds United's thinking was the League One play-off final victory on the 39-year-old's managerial record.
Grayson won promotion in 2007 with Blackpool – the club he resigned from on Tuesday to become United's new manager – and took the Lancashire side to the level of English football where Leeds hope and expect to play next season.
Walsh came to know Grayson well while the two men were team-mates and room-mates at Leicester between 1992 and 1997, but it is latter's track-record at Bloomfield Road rather than his Premier League past which Walsh feels has justified his selection by Leeds chairman Ken Bates.
In his first two seasons as permanent boss of Blackpool, Grayson won promotion from League One and helped the club find their feet in the Championship. In their current position, Leeds would readily settle for the same progress over the next 18 months, and Walsh claims they have found the "right man" to plan and lead the climb.
"We're old team-mates and we used to room together so I'm obviously delighted for him," said Walsh.
"I know Simon really well and I witnessed his talent as a player, but I don't think you need to have seen that to appreciate what he'll bring to Leeds.
"His record and his performance at Blackpool is exactly what Leeds should have been looking out for. He's someone who not only knows their division but knows how to get out of it. That achievement's there in black and white, done two years ago.
"Since then he's established Blackpool as a Championship club and in listing these things I'm pretty much saying what Leeds need to achieve in the next couple of seasons.
"I saw a lot of names mentioned when the position became available – some bigger names than Simon's, with respect to him – but personally I'd go for track record every time. That's the mark of a good manager.
"He'll face more expectation at Leeds than he did at Blackpool but the job still comes down to what a manager does with his players. Simon can take on the job knowing he's looking to repeat what he's done before. There's no question of his ability to win promotion because he's already bought the T-shirt."
Walsh can spot the attributes shown by a talented manager – five of his 14 years as a Leicester player were completed under Martin O'Neill – and the retired defender sees Grayson's first foray into management as proof of his long-term potential.
Grayson, whose appointment at Elland Road has been acrimonious and may lead Blackpool to take legal action against him and Leeds, worked on a thin budget at Bloomfield Road but guided Blackpool out of League One while Nottingham Forest, Swansea City and Doncaster Rovers – three wealthier clubs – remained trapped in the division two years ago.
Walsh expected that his former team-mate would find the chance to return to the county of his birth and the club where he began his playing career too much of a pull to resist, and he insisted that talk of Grayson lacking high-profile experience ignored the success he enjoyed as a player with three Premier League clubs.
"He didn't often grab the headlines but he was a terrific professional," said Walsh.
"A bit like myself, defenders don't tend to be the most high-profile of people, and there will probably be a few fans in Leeds who don't know an awful lot about him.
"That shouldn't take away from the fact that he had a long and impressive career as a player. He's seen a lot of football and a lot of managers, and I know that Martin O'Neill thought highly of him as a person and a defender.
"I don't think there are necessarily shades of Martin in Simon because Simon's his own man, but the thing they do share is an understanding of how important it is to get results. It's everything for a manager.
"Martin was brilliant at forcing out victories week after week and finding momentum. If there's one thing Leeds need just now it's that – a spell where everything goes right and every game brings a result.
"League One is a nightmare for Leeds – an absolute nightmare. They don't want anything to do with it anymore and as much as I felt sorry for Gary McAllister because he's a good friend of mine, nine league defeats at this stage of the season is far too many.
"If you ask Simon what his priority is, he'll say results. He's shrewd, he's clever and he's very wise about the way football works. In no way is the job too big for him."
Grayson, at 39, is the youngster person to be handed the manager's job at Elland Road since Eddie Gray took on the role in 1982, and support for him at Blackpool was provided by his assistant manager Tony Parkes, and first-team coach Steve Thompson.
United have confirmed that Grayson intends to relocate his backroom staff from Bloomfield Road to Leeds, and he is expected to receive a budget in the January transfer window and will have the opportunity to deal with the weaknesses which earned McAllister the sack last week.
"It's nice for a manager to have a bit of money to spend, and it'll probably be a novelty for him," said Walsh.
"He's worked on a tight budget at Blackpool and that can't have been easy, but it's very good experience. It means that he won't go to Leeds demanding money or feeling that he needs to spend to have success. He'll make the best of his resources.
"I really think this will ignite Leeds – not because he's a massive name or a guy with loads of razzmatazz but because he's a quality manager who'll do the job they want him to do. They're too far down League One to say they'll definitely go up this season but I know where my money would be."
Leedsunited.com 26/12/08
SNODDY SECURES POINT
LEEDS 1 (Snodgrass 90), LEICESTER 1 (Oakley 24)
United:Ankergren, Richardson, Marques, Michalik, Sheehan, Prutton (Hughes 57), Douglas (Snodgrass 77), Delph, Robinson (Howson 77), Becchio, Beckford. Subs: Lucas, Kilkenny.
Leicester: Martin, Gilbert, Tunchev, Oakley, Howard, Dyer, Fryatt (Dickov 85), King, Hobbs, Berner, Davies. Subs: Morrison, Adams, Powell, Cisak.
Referee: M Halsey
Booked: Marques (United), Davies (Leics)
Att: 33,580
Elland Road welcomed its third manager of the year with Simon Grayson taking the reins for the first time following the departure of Gary McAllister.
Grayson recalled goalkeeper Casper Ankergren, midfielder David Prutton, and received a double boost with Andy Robinson and leading goalscorer Jermaine Beckford both returning from injury to take their places in the new manager's first starting line-up.
One of United's biggest frailties in recent weeks was the ability to defend set-pieces, but after Lubo Michalik headed away an early free-kick, the resultant corner was subsequently dealt with.
The new manager almost got off to a dream start though. On 15 minutes, Andy Robinson whipped in a cross from the right, David Prutton nodded it on, and Luciano Becchio rattled the post from close range.
But it was Leicester who drew first blood, courtesy of a Matt Oakley goal in the 24th minute. Matty Fryatt was the architect with a good surging run and Oakley profited from a good ball by drilling a low shot beyond the reach of Ankergren.
Leicester were a well-drilled outfit, but United went close again on 35 minutes when skipper Frazer Richardson sent a low shot skidding across the face of goal.
And it was United who enjoyed the better of proceedings as the game headed towards half-time.Fabian Delph had a shot from outside of the box blocked and the home side enjoyed a good spell of pressure before the whistle blew.
Leeds started the second half in similar fashion and Becchio lifted a shot over from a tight angle after good work by Robinson.
On 57 minutes, Grayson made his first substitution as Leeds boss with Andrew Hughes replacing Prutton, and the sub made an immediate impact with a crunching challenge flooring Leicester's Mark Davies.
With the biggest Football League crowd of the season inside Elland Road, the volume leves rose another few decibels as United pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Leeds continued to apply the pressure and Hughes lifted a shot over the top after Leicester goalkeeper Dave Martin punched away an up and under from Alan Sheehan.
With 15 minutes remaining, play was held up while Rui Marques received treatment following a clash with Steve Howard.
Still United looked to force an opening, but it wasn't hard to see why Leicester currently hold the leadership of the division, given their strong organisation and their ability to defend in numbers.
As the clock started to tick down, Jonny Howson felt he had a good penalty claim waved away and Beckford was beaten to high ball by visiting goalkeeper Martin.
United weren't to be denied, though, and the equaliser came in the first minute of stoppage time. Howson played the ball in to fellow sub Robert Snodgrass, and the Scotsman converted at the far post to secure a deserved point for United.
Not that United settled for the point. The three minutes of added time saw Leeds go in search of a winner, but time eventually ran out and new manager Grayson was content to see his new charges halt their winless run.
Grayson is the right choice
By Phil Hay
Though an unexpected selection for many in Leeds, former Leicester City captain Steve Walsh saw perfect sense in Simon Grayson's appointment at Elland Road.
While several other names were championed, Aidy Boothroyd, Gustavo Poyet and Billy Davies among them, Walsh felt that Grayson's strength and the key to Leeds United's thinking was the League One play-off final victory on the 39-year-old's managerial record.
Grayson won promotion in 2007 with Blackpool – the club he resigned from on Tuesday to become United's new manager – and took the Lancashire side to the level of English football where Leeds hope and expect to play next season.
Walsh came to know Grayson well while the two men were team-mates and room-mates at Leicester between 1992 and 1997, but it is latter's track-record at Bloomfield Road rather than his Premier League past which Walsh feels has justified his selection by Leeds chairman Ken Bates.
In his first two seasons as permanent boss of Blackpool, Grayson won promotion from League One and helped the club find their feet in the Championship. In their current position, Leeds would readily settle for the same progress over the next 18 months, and Walsh claims they have found the "right man" to plan and lead the climb.
"We're old team-mates and we used to room together so I'm obviously delighted for him," said Walsh.
"I know Simon really well and I witnessed his talent as a player, but I don't think you need to have seen that to appreciate what he'll bring to Leeds.
"His record and his performance at Blackpool is exactly what Leeds should have been looking out for. He's someone who not only knows their division but knows how to get out of it. That achievement's there in black and white, done two years ago.
"Since then he's established Blackpool as a Championship club and in listing these things I'm pretty much saying what Leeds need to achieve in the next couple of seasons.
"I saw a lot of names mentioned when the position became available – some bigger names than Simon's, with respect to him – but personally I'd go for track record every time. That's the mark of a good manager.
"He'll face more expectation at Leeds than he did at Blackpool but the job still comes down to what a manager does with his players. Simon can take on the job knowing he's looking to repeat what he's done before. There's no question of his ability to win promotion because he's already bought the T-shirt."
Walsh can spot the attributes shown by a talented manager – five of his 14 years as a Leicester player were completed under Martin O'Neill – and the retired defender sees Grayson's first foray into management as proof of his long-term potential.
Grayson, whose appointment at Elland Road has been acrimonious and may lead Blackpool to take legal action against him and Leeds, worked on a thin budget at Bloomfield Road but guided Blackpool out of League One while Nottingham Forest, Swansea City and Doncaster Rovers – three wealthier clubs – remained trapped in the division two years ago.
Walsh expected that his former team-mate would find the chance to return to the county of his birth and the club where he began his playing career too much of a pull to resist, and he insisted that talk of Grayson lacking high-profile experience ignored the success he enjoyed as a player with three Premier League clubs.
"He didn't often grab the headlines but he was a terrific professional," said Walsh.
"A bit like myself, defenders don't tend to be the most high-profile of people, and there will probably be a few fans in Leeds who don't know an awful lot about him.
"That shouldn't take away from the fact that he had a long and impressive career as a player. He's seen a lot of football and a lot of managers, and I know that Martin O'Neill thought highly of him as a person and a defender.
"I don't think there are necessarily shades of Martin in Simon because Simon's his own man, but the thing they do share is an understanding of how important it is to get results. It's everything for a manager.
"Martin was brilliant at forcing out victories week after week and finding momentum. If there's one thing Leeds need just now it's that – a spell where everything goes right and every game brings a result.
"League One is a nightmare for Leeds – an absolute nightmare. They don't want anything to do with it anymore and as much as I felt sorry for Gary McAllister because he's a good friend of mine, nine league defeats at this stage of the season is far too many.
"If you ask Simon what his priority is, he'll say results. He's shrewd, he's clever and he's very wise about the way football works. In no way is the job too big for him."
Grayson, at 39, is the youngster person to be handed the manager's job at Elland Road since Eddie Gray took on the role in 1982, and support for him at Blackpool was provided by his assistant manager Tony Parkes, and first-team coach Steve Thompson.
United have confirmed that Grayson intends to relocate his backroom staff from Bloomfield Road to Leeds, and he is expected to receive a budget in the January transfer window and will have the opportunity to deal with the weaknesses which earned McAllister the sack last week.
"It's nice for a manager to have a bit of money to spend, and it'll probably be a novelty for him," said Walsh.
"He's worked on a tight budget at Blackpool and that can't have been easy, but it's very good experience. It means that he won't go to Leeds demanding money or feeling that he needs to spend to have success. He'll make the best of his resources.
"I really think this will ignite Leeds – not because he's a massive name or a guy with loads of razzmatazz but because he's a quality manager who'll do the job they want him to do. They're too far down League One to say they'll definitely go up this season but I know where my money would be."
Leedsunited.com 26/12/08
SNODDY SECURES POINT
LEEDS 1 (Snodgrass 90), LEICESTER 1 (Oakley 24)
United:Ankergren, Richardson, Marques, Michalik, Sheehan, Prutton (Hughes 57), Douglas (Snodgrass 77), Delph, Robinson (Howson 77), Becchio, Beckford. Subs: Lucas, Kilkenny.
Leicester: Martin, Gilbert, Tunchev, Oakley, Howard, Dyer, Fryatt (Dickov 85), King, Hobbs, Berner, Davies. Subs: Morrison, Adams, Powell, Cisak.
Referee: M Halsey
Booked: Marques (United), Davies (Leics)
Att: 33,580
Elland Road welcomed its third manager of the year with Simon Grayson taking the reins for the first time following the departure of Gary McAllister.
Grayson recalled goalkeeper Casper Ankergren, midfielder David Prutton, and received a double boost with Andy Robinson and leading goalscorer Jermaine Beckford both returning from injury to take their places in the new manager's first starting line-up.
One of United's biggest frailties in recent weeks was the ability to defend set-pieces, but after Lubo Michalik headed away an early free-kick, the resultant corner was subsequently dealt with.
The new manager almost got off to a dream start though. On 15 minutes, Andy Robinson whipped in a cross from the right, David Prutton nodded it on, and Luciano Becchio rattled the post from close range.
But it was Leicester who drew first blood, courtesy of a Matt Oakley goal in the 24th minute. Matty Fryatt was the architect with a good surging run and Oakley profited from a good ball by drilling a low shot beyond the reach of Ankergren.
Leicester were a well-drilled outfit, but United went close again on 35 minutes when skipper Frazer Richardson sent a low shot skidding across the face of goal.
And it was United who enjoyed the better of proceedings as the game headed towards half-time.Fabian Delph had a shot from outside of the box blocked and the home side enjoyed a good spell of pressure before the whistle blew.
Leeds started the second half in similar fashion and Becchio lifted a shot over from a tight angle after good work by Robinson.
On 57 minutes, Grayson made his first substitution as Leeds boss with Andrew Hughes replacing Prutton, and the sub made an immediate impact with a crunching challenge flooring Leicester's Mark Davies.
With the biggest Football League crowd of the season inside Elland Road, the volume leves rose another few decibels as United pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Leeds continued to apply the pressure and Hughes lifted a shot over the top after Leicester goalkeeper Dave Martin punched away an up and under from Alan Sheehan.
With 15 minutes remaining, play was held up while Rui Marques received treatment following a clash with Steve Howard.
Still United looked to force an opening, but it wasn't hard to see why Leicester currently hold the leadership of the division, given their strong organisation and their ability to defend in numbers.
As the clock started to tick down, Jonny Howson felt he had a good penalty claim waved away and Beckford was beaten to high ball by visiting goalkeeper Martin.
United weren't to be denied, though, and the equaliser came in the first minute of stoppage time. Howson played the ball in to fellow sub Robert Snodgrass, and the Scotsman converted at the far post to secure a deserved point for United.
Not that United settled for the point. The three minutes of added time saw Leeds go in search of a winner, but time eventually ran out and new manager Grayson was content to see his new charges halt their winless run.