McDermott is looking ahead as 10 are axed
Yorkshire Post 4/5/13
A YEAR ago, Brian McDermott was heading for the Premier League after steering Reading to promotion as champions.
Now, as the Royals prepare for a return to the second tier, the 52-year-old is at the helm of a club whose absence from the elite will next season reach double figures.
Not, however, that McDermott is the sort to be fazed by the challenge of restoring Leeds United to their former glories.
Asked about what will, in August, become the club’s longest stint outside the top flight, the Elland Road manager told the Yorkshire Post: “It is what it is.
“No one has a divine right to get out of this league. I don’t care what the name is or what the badge looks like. Look at Leicester, they are spending fortunes to get out and can’t.
“If you take your eye off the ball then you have a problem. What you can’t afford to do is take that eye off the ball.
“I am not saying that has happened here. I don’t know what has gone on. I know the history but not the day-to-day history.
“I keep going on about Marching on Together because that is what we sing. And if we sing it, we have to mean it. You cannot get a better anthem than that for me.”
McDermott led United to safety courtesy of back-to-back wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley. Since then, though, defeats to Birmingham City and Brighton & Hove Albion have followed.
Both were games that McDermott feels his side should not have lost and improving the mental strength of his squad is a major priority for the manager ahead of next season.
With that in mind, there will be changes at Elland Road over the summer as yesterday’s confirmation of 10 players being released underlined.
Heading the list of departures are Davide Somma, Paul Connolly, Patrick Kisnorbo and Paul Rachubka, while Leigh Bromby’s contract as a player has not been renewed, but he will stay on as Academy coach.
New arrivals are planned ahead of the new Championship season kicking off on August 3, while McDermott’s planning for pre-season is also under way.
The United chief said: “Pre-season starts for me in May. When the players go away after the Watford game, they will have a programme in place to make sure they come back in great condition.
“If they do that, we can then get the footballs out very, very quickly.
“Some, of course, need a rest. I look at Rudy (Austin) and he has been playing all year round. He is going to be a good player but he needs rest.
“Then, when we come back, he will be ready to go again. That is why everyone has individual programmes.
“In terms of pre-season, we will go away for 10 days somewhere and play three games as I feel it is important to bond everyone.”
A YEAR ago, Brian McDermott was heading for the Premier League after steering Reading to promotion as champions.
Now, as the Royals prepare for a return to the second tier, the 52-year-old is at the helm of a club whose absence from the elite will next season reach double figures.
Not, however, that McDermott is the sort to be fazed by the challenge of restoring Leeds United to their former glories.
Asked about what will, in August, become the club’s longest stint outside the top flight, the Elland Road manager told the Yorkshire Post: “It is what it is.
“No one has a divine right to get out of this league. I don’t care what the name is or what the badge looks like. Look at Leicester, they are spending fortunes to get out and can’t.
“If you take your eye off the ball then you have a problem. What you can’t afford to do is take that eye off the ball.
“I am not saying that has happened here. I don’t know what has gone on. I know the history but not the day-to-day history.
“I keep going on about Marching on Together because that is what we sing. And if we sing it, we have to mean it. You cannot get a better anthem than that for me.”
McDermott led United to safety courtesy of back-to-back wins over Sheffield Wednesday and Burnley. Since then, though, defeats to Birmingham City and Brighton & Hove Albion have followed.
Both were games that McDermott feels his side should not have lost and improving the mental strength of his squad is a major priority for the manager ahead of next season.
With that in mind, there will be changes at Elland Road over the summer as yesterday’s confirmation of 10 players being released underlined.
Heading the list of departures are Davide Somma, Paul Connolly, Patrick Kisnorbo and Paul Rachubka, while Leigh Bromby’s contract as a player has not been renewed, but he will stay on as Academy coach.
New arrivals are planned ahead of the new Championship season kicking off on August 3, while McDermott’s planning for pre-season is also under way.
The United chief said: “Pre-season starts for me in May. When the players go away after the Watford game, they will have a programme in place to make sure they come back in great condition.
“If they do that, we can then get the footballs out very, very quickly.
“Some, of course, need a rest. I look at Rudy (Austin) and he has been playing all year round. He is going to be a good player but he needs rest.
“Then, when we come back, he will be ready to go again. That is why everyone has individual programmes.
“In terms of pre-season, we will go away for 10 days somewhere and play three games as I feel it is important to bond everyone.”