Independent 19/2/12
Warnock's pep talk inspires Leeds
Leeds United 3 Doncaster Rovers 2: New manager delivers half-time verdict and then watches as his new squad complete comeback
Simon Hart
Elland Road
The fanzine seller outside Elland Road was in no doubt that, for once, Ken Bates had got it right. His publication, The Square Ball, was carrying a piece titled: "Why it has to be Neil Warnock", a conclusion Bates had reached just a couple of hours before when confirmation of Warnock's appointment as Leeds United manager came through.
Warnock, who had met Bates in Monaco on Friday and shaken hands on a contract until the end of the 2012-13 season, was greeted by the supporters here, though there was no high-profile presentation of a manager grudgingly admired for his achievements at three other Yorkshire clubs; just an introduction over the Tannoy as he took his seat.
The contest that unfolded showed just why Warnock could not reject Bates's overtures; he saw Elland Road come to life as Leeds overturned a two-goal deficit to win against the Championship's bottom club through a Luciano Becchio goal in the ninth minute of injury time. The result lifted Leeds one place to 10th in the Championship, within three points of a play-off spot.
"The attraction is the situation they're in, a massive club with great fans," said the 63-year-old Warnock. "I enjoyed the support of the QPR fans but having 25,000 to 30,000 behind you is brilliant. I spoke to Wolves on Thursday and then to Ken in Monte Carlo on Friday. It was all a bit rushed and I hadn't planned to finalise anything but it all seemed to fit. I didn't want to stay out of football any longer.
"I think today showed how far we have to go. We are a long way from being a top side but the lads have spirit and showed it."
Warnock's goal in his 13th managerial post will be the eighth promotion of his career. "He has a proven record, knows what it takes, and he gets value for money out of players," said Bates, who tried to lure Warnock to Chelsea after he had taken Notts County into the top flight in 1991.
Bates had decided on Warnock after Leeds suffered defeats by Brighton and Coventry under caretaker manager Neil Redfearn. The academy coach seemed destined to end his temporary tenure with a third loss when Don-caster took a two-goal lead, and he gave credit to Warnock for the part he played in inspiring their second-half fightback. "He's had a big input today, he came in and addressed the lads before," Redfearn said. "He came in at half-time and made one or two points. He's an experienced guy and the information he gave has helped."
As the former Leeds player and manager Eddie Gray noted beforehand, Warnock's first task will be to sort out Leeds' defensive frailties, which were apparent once again. Doncaster might have begun the match with 10 men – Pascal Chimbonda having been ordered by Keith Stroud to remove his earring back in the dressing room – but by the 54th minute the division's lowest scorers before kick-off had scored twice.
Mamadou Bagayoko got the two goals, the Mali forward's first in English football since his January arrival. The first came after 32 minutes, soon after he had replaced the injured Habib Bam-ogo, Bagayoko rolling the loose ball home after Andy Lonergan saved at the feet of James Hayter. El-Hadji Diouf's through-ball was the catalyst for that goal, and in the 54th minute he turned a Tommy Spurr ball across goal for Bagayoko to score his second.
If that was the good of Diouf's contribution, the bad and the ugly followed after the final whistle when he and Ross McCormack exchanged words. As he entered the tunnel, the Leeds defender Alex Bruce raced after him and the plastic walls of the tunnel began shaking. More than a dozen police officers were soon rushing to the tunnel, though Redfearn did not comment and Dean Saunders, Doncaster's manager, did not attend the post-match press conference.
All that followed Leeds' revival. Thrown a lifeline by on-loan Tottenham midfielder Andros Townsend's first Leeds goal 60 seconds after they had fallen two behind, they had a let-off when Lonergan denied Bagayoko from close range before drawing level through a first-time Adam Clayton volley from Robert Snodgrass's left wing-cross.
Injuries to Spurr and Ronnie Rogers meant there were 10 minutes of added time, and in the ninth minute Becchio sealed the comeback, curling a shot past David Button after his initial effort had come off a defender. The Warnock era is up and running.
Telegraph 18/2/12
Dazzle or divorce for Neil Warnock and Ken Bates at Leeds United
Warning: fireworks alert. Stand well back. The fuse has been lit on the Neil Warnock-Ken Bates axis and sparks could fly between the Old Irascibles.
By Henry Winter
Yet look beyond their public images of prickly martinets and a picture emerges of old-school footballing men with much in common, notably a hunger to prove a point.
It could just work. The chemistry may be right. Warnock and Bates, the Odd Couple of Elland Road, could be a marriage made in heaven for a while.
It may eventually end in divorce, the papers probably served via toxic programme notes, but it could prove a productive relationship for Leeds United until then.
Warnock and Bates are already being painted as Statler and Waldorf, the Muppets legends who spend their life heckling biliously from the balcony yet actually agreeing on many issues. Warnock and Bates care about the game and certainly care about their own place in the English footballing firmament.
Each wants to get back into the Premier League. Each wants to answer critics. They know what they are getting into. Bates considered making Warnock manager at Chelsea. They are street-fighters in suits, driven by what Warnock called yesterday “the big challenge” of revitalising the biggest club outside the Premier League in terms of support.
Like Bates, Warnock is a figure of sustained controversy, although there was sympathy for the manner in which he was dismissed by QPR.
Like Bates, Warnock is tough, obdurate and occasionally obnoxious. Yet these are precisely the gritty qualities Leeds require in the scrap to climb out of the Championship. It’s no catwalk; it’s a hard slog requiring resilience.
Leeds fans will surely put aside their reservations about chairman and manager if they combine to lead the team back into the promised land.
It is an oft-expressed adage in the game that Warnock is arguably better suited to the Championship, organising and motivating average players, getting them to “run through walls for me” to borrow one of his favourite expressions.
As a Crystal Palace fan reflected on Warnock’s strength yesterday, “He’s a one-trick pony but a good trick until you’re promoted.”
The messages of goodwill from QPR fans towards Warnock were plenty yesterday, remembering how he had guided them up and also worked with strong personalities in the Loftus Road board room.
Even Warnock’s critics, and he has many within the game following falling-outs with officials and rival managers, would not be surprised if a re-galvanised Leeds went on a run, rising from mid-table into the play-off positions.
Warnock at Wembley on May 19? Don’t bet against it. The fireworks could be celebratory ones. It will certainly be worth watching.
Warnock's pep talk inspires Leeds
Leeds United 3 Doncaster Rovers 2: New manager delivers half-time verdict and then watches as his new squad complete comeback
Simon Hart
Elland Road
The fanzine seller outside Elland Road was in no doubt that, for once, Ken Bates had got it right. His publication, The Square Ball, was carrying a piece titled: "Why it has to be Neil Warnock", a conclusion Bates had reached just a couple of hours before when confirmation of Warnock's appointment as Leeds United manager came through.
Warnock, who had met Bates in Monaco on Friday and shaken hands on a contract until the end of the 2012-13 season, was greeted by the supporters here, though there was no high-profile presentation of a manager grudgingly admired for his achievements at three other Yorkshire clubs; just an introduction over the Tannoy as he took his seat.
The contest that unfolded showed just why Warnock could not reject Bates's overtures; he saw Elland Road come to life as Leeds overturned a two-goal deficit to win against the Championship's bottom club through a Luciano Becchio goal in the ninth minute of injury time. The result lifted Leeds one place to 10th in the Championship, within three points of a play-off spot.
"The attraction is the situation they're in, a massive club with great fans," said the 63-year-old Warnock. "I enjoyed the support of the QPR fans but having 25,000 to 30,000 behind you is brilliant. I spoke to Wolves on Thursday and then to Ken in Monte Carlo on Friday. It was all a bit rushed and I hadn't planned to finalise anything but it all seemed to fit. I didn't want to stay out of football any longer.
"I think today showed how far we have to go. We are a long way from being a top side but the lads have spirit and showed it."
Warnock's goal in his 13th managerial post will be the eighth promotion of his career. "He has a proven record, knows what it takes, and he gets value for money out of players," said Bates, who tried to lure Warnock to Chelsea after he had taken Notts County into the top flight in 1991.
Bates had decided on Warnock after Leeds suffered defeats by Brighton and Coventry under caretaker manager Neil Redfearn. The academy coach seemed destined to end his temporary tenure with a third loss when Don-caster took a two-goal lead, and he gave credit to Warnock for the part he played in inspiring their second-half fightback. "He's had a big input today, he came in and addressed the lads before," Redfearn said. "He came in at half-time and made one or two points. He's an experienced guy and the information he gave has helped."
As the former Leeds player and manager Eddie Gray noted beforehand, Warnock's first task will be to sort out Leeds' defensive frailties, which were apparent once again. Doncaster might have begun the match with 10 men – Pascal Chimbonda having been ordered by Keith Stroud to remove his earring back in the dressing room – but by the 54th minute the division's lowest scorers before kick-off had scored twice.
Mamadou Bagayoko got the two goals, the Mali forward's first in English football since his January arrival. The first came after 32 minutes, soon after he had replaced the injured Habib Bam-ogo, Bagayoko rolling the loose ball home after Andy Lonergan saved at the feet of James Hayter. El-Hadji Diouf's through-ball was the catalyst for that goal, and in the 54th minute he turned a Tommy Spurr ball across goal for Bagayoko to score his second.
If that was the good of Diouf's contribution, the bad and the ugly followed after the final whistle when he and Ross McCormack exchanged words. As he entered the tunnel, the Leeds defender Alex Bruce raced after him and the plastic walls of the tunnel began shaking. More than a dozen police officers were soon rushing to the tunnel, though Redfearn did not comment and Dean Saunders, Doncaster's manager, did not attend the post-match press conference.
All that followed Leeds' revival. Thrown a lifeline by on-loan Tottenham midfielder Andros Townsend's first Leeds goal 60 seconds after they had fallen two behind, they had a let-off when Lonergan denied Bagayoko from close range before drawing level through a first-time Adam Clayton volley from Robert Snodgrass's left wing-cross.
Injuries to Spurr and Ronnie Rogers meant there were 10 minutes of added time, and in the ninth minute Becchio sealed the comeback, curling a shot past David Button after his initial effort had come off a defender. The Warnock era is up and running.
Telegraph 18/2/12
Dazzle or divorce for Neil Warnock and Ken Bates at Leeds United
Warning: fireworks alert. Stand well back. The fuse has been lit on the Neil Warnock-Ken Bates axis and sparks could fly between the Old Irascibles.
By Henry Winter
Yet look beyond their public images of prickly martinets and a picture emerges of old-school footballing men with much in common, notably a hunger to prove a point.
It could just work. The chemistry may be right. Warnock and Bates, the Odd Couple of Elland Road, could be a marriage made in heaven for a while.
It may eventually end in divorce, the papers probably served via toxic programme notes, but it could prove a productive relationship for Leeds United until then.
Warnock and Bates are already being painted as Statler and Waldorf, the Muppets legends who spend their life heckling biliously from the balcony yet actually agreeing on many issues. Warnock and Bates care about the game and certainly care about their own place in the English footballing firmament.
Each wants to get back into the Premier League. Each wants to answer critics. They know what they are getting into. Bates considered making Warnock manager at Chelsea. They are street-fighters in suits, driven by what Warnock called yesterday “the big challenge” of revitalising the biggest club outside the Premier League in terms of support.
Like Bates, Warnock is a figure of sustained controversy, although there was sympathy for the manner in which he was dismissed by QPR.
Like Bates, Warnock is tough, obdurate and occasionally obnoxious. Yet these are precisely the gritty qualities Leeds require in the scrap to climb out of the Championship. It’s no catwalk; it’s a hard slog requiring resilience.
Leeds fans will surely put aside their reservations about chairman and manager if they combine to lead the team back into the promised land.
It is an oft-expressed adage in the game that Warnock is arguably better suited to the Championship, organising and motivating average players, getting them to “run through walls for me” to borrow one of his favourite expressions.
As a Crystal Palace fan reflected on Warnock’s strength yesterday, “He’s a one-trick pony but a good trick until you’re promoted.”
The messages of goodwill from QPR fans towards Warnock were plenty yesterday, remembering how he had guided them up and also worked with strong personalities in the Loftus Road board room.
Even Warnock’s critics, and he has many within the game following falling-outs with officials and rival managers, would not be surprised if a re-galvanised Leeds went on a run, rising from mid-table into the play-off positions.
Warnock at Wembley on May 19? Don’t bet against it. The fireworks could be celebratory ones. It will certainly be worth watching.