Vice-Chairman: The Present and Future
leedsunited.com 26/6/13
Questions and answers with Salah Nooruddin...
With the players about to return to Elland Road from their summer breaks and the new season now just over five weeks away, Leeds United's Vice Chairman Salah Nooruddin answers questions from fans for leedsunited.com
What is the club's ambition for the coming season?
Obviously we want to finish as high in the Championship as we can and, if possible, to be in a position to be challenging for promotion. However, everyone needs to be aware that building for the Premier League involves a long term strategy and getting things right both on and off the pitch. We have great faith in our new manager Brian McDermott. But if it's not possible to achieve our major aim as fast as everyone would like then the owners will continue to support Brian and the club. We are all - shareholders, board and management - working to the common aim of building a successful and sustainable future for the club on and off the pitch.
What do you think of the fixture list?
It's an interesting start in the Championship. We start where we left off at the end of last season with a home match against Brighton. Of course they will want to prove a point after going on to lose in the Play-Off semi-finals last season. At the same time they are looking for a new manager. Then we have another of last year's Play-Off semi-finalists, Leicester City, away before hosting the Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday.
Is the manager being backed in the summer transfer market?
Yes. Our aim is to further strengthen the squad through sensible additions which will add to the long term development of the club. Brian has outlined plans to re-balance the squad and bring in a mixture of younger players with potential and others who are more experienced, and we are backing him to achieve these objectives in a structured way. Brian has also asked for certain changes to be made at Thorp Arch, which he believes will benefit the first team. Those changes are in the process of being made.
Do you see more players being bought between now and the end of the transfer window on 31 August?
Yes. We are working on the targets that Brian has outlined and expect to see more progress in the coming weeks. I believe that we have to look for the long term value rather than the quick fix in everything. We also have to be mindful that all our dealings fall within the Football League's new Financial Fair Play regulations which limit the amount owners can invest in a club. We also have to make sure that the net effect of our all our transfer dealings is to optimise the wage bill as we support the club in building long term sustainable success. This means that, more than ever, success is something you have to build for and work towards. It's not an overnight thing.
Do you expect some players to leave the club during the transfer window?
In any transfer window it's inevitable that some players will move on as the manager reshapes the squad as he thinks fit. Our aim is to improve the squad while at the same time optimizing the wage bill.
If the club sells players will the funds be used for team strengthening?
Our over-riding aim in the transfer window is to strengthen the squad and to increase its value to the club while at the same time keeping wages under control. This will be our guiding principle in all transfer dealings both in and out of the club.
How important is the Academy to your plans?
Brian and his team will be putting great efforts into our Academy. The Academy has produced wonderful players throughout the years and some of the brightest young talents currently in our squad have come through it. The success of Thorp Arch is the envy of many other clubs. Our plan is to make maximum use of it in building long term success which is sustainable for the club and for the fans.
Is the board still looking to bring new strategic investors to the club?
Yes and a number of discussions are ongoing on this front. Obviously at this stage they are confidential as any such commercial dealings would be and I can't really say much anything else about them.
Who do you see as being the main challengers at the top of the Championship this season?
This is a really tough league, there's 24 teams competing and each has 46 games to play. Many of them will be won or lost by no more than an odd goal. It's always difficult to say at the start of a season who will be up there at the end. Clubs relegated from the Premier League come with big squads capable of mounting a challenge. Then there are the teams who made the Play-Offs last year and who will be determined to go one better this year. And there will be one or two dark horses. But Leeds will be out there competing from start to finish. In Brian we have a manager who knows what it takes to succeed in the Championship, having reached the Play-Offs before and having won promotion.
How have season ticket sales gone for the new season?
We have lowered season ticket prices to bring in as many fans as possible to ensure maximum home support for the team - even though this means lower revenues for the club with the consequences that entails The good news is that we have already sold nearly as many season tickets as we did last year, and fans can obviously still buy them and take advantage of the prices. I believe the club will need everyone's support to take it back to where it once was. Therefore, we urge all Leeds fans to get behind the team and support the club on the next stage of its exciting journey.
How are things developing off the pitch?
The shareholders continue to support the club financially and given the size of investment we have made thus far, are obviously very keen to get things right. We also understand that the success of the club is key for the shareholders to be successful. Having said that, we need to ensure we do not take unnecessary risks to achieve success, or not take enough risk. The key is striking the right balance in the context of where the club is today.
Questions and answers with Salah Nooruddin...
With the players about to return to Elland Road from their summer breaks and the new season now just over five weeks away, Leeds United's Vice Chairman Salah Nooruddin answers questions from fans for leedsunited.com
What is the club's ambition for the coming season?
Obviously we want to finish as high in the Championship as we can and, if possible, to be in a position to be challenging for promotion. However, everyone needs to be aware that building for the Premier League involves a long term strategy and getting things right both on and off the pitch. We have great faith in our new manager Brian McDermott. But if it's not possible to achieve our major aim as fast as everyone would like then the owners will continue to support Brian and the club. We are all - shareholders, board and management - working to the common aim of building a successful and sustainable future for the club on and off the pitch.
What do you think of the fixture list?
It's an interesting start in the Championship. We start where we left off at the end of last season with a home match against Brighton. Of course they will want to prove a point after going on to lose in the Play-Off semi-finals last season. At the same time they are looking for a new manager. Then we have another of last year's Play-Off semi-finalists, Leicester City, away before hosting the Yorkshire derby against Sheffield Wednesday.
Is the manager being backed in the summer transfer market?
Yes. Our aim is to further strengthen the squad through sensible additions which will add to the long term development of the club. Brian has outlined plans to re-balance the squad and bring in a mixture of younger players with potential and others who are more experienced, and we are backing him to achieve these objectives in a structured way. Brian has also asked for certain changes to be made at Thorp Arch, which he believes will benefit the first team. Those changes are in the process of being made.
Do you see more players being bought between now and the end of the transfer window on 31 August?
Yes. We are working on the targets that Brian has outlined and expect to see more progress in the coming weeks. I believe that we have to look for the long term value rather than the quick fix in everything. We also have to be mindful that all our dealings fall within the Football League's new Financial Fair Play regulations which limit the amount owners can invest in a club. We also have to make sure that the net effect of our all our transfer dealings is to optimise the wage bill as we support the club in building long term sustainable success. This means that, more than ever, success is something you have to build for and work towards. It's not an overnight thing.
Do you expect some players to leave the club during the transfer window?
In any transfer window it's inevitable that some players will move on as the manager reshapes the squad as he thinks fit. Our aim is to improve the squad while at the same time optimizing the wage bill.
If the club sells players will the funds be used for team strengthening?
Our over-riding aim in the transfer window is to strengthen the squad and to increase its value to the club while at the same time keeping wages under control. This will be our guiding principle in all transfer dealings both in and out of the club.
How important is the Academy to your plans?
Brian and his team will be putting great efforts into our Academy. The Academy has produced wonderful players throughout the years and some of the brightest young talents currently in our squad have come through it. The success of Thorp Arch is the envy of many other clubs. Our plan is to make maximum use of it in building long term success which is sustainable for the club and for the fans.
Is the board still looking to bring new strategic investors to the club?
Yes and a number of discussions are ongoing on this front. Obviously at this stage they are confidential as any such commercial dealings would be and I can't really say much anything else about them.
Who do you see as being the main challengers at the top of the Championship this season?
This is a really tough league, there's 24 teams competing and each has 46 games to play. Many of them will be won or lost by no more than an odd goal. It's always difficult to say at the start of a season who will be up there at the end. Clubs relegated from the Premier League come with big squads capable of mounting a challenge. Then there are the teams who made the Play-Offs last year and who will be determined to go one better this year. And there will be one or two dark horses. But Leeds will be out there competing from start to finish. In Brian we have a manager who knows what it takes to succeed in the Championship, having reached the Play-Offs before and having won promotion.
How have season ticket sales gone for the new season?
We have lowered season ticket prices to bring in as many fans as possible to ensure maximum home support for the team - even though this means lower revenues for the club with the consequences that entails The good news is that we have already sold nearly as many season tickets as we did last year, and fans can obviously still buy them and take advantage of the prices. I believe the club will need everyone's support to take it back to where it once was. Therefore, we urge all Leeds fans to get behind the team and support the club on the next stage of its exciting journey.
How are things developing off the pitch?
The shareholders continue to support the club financially and given the size of investment we have made thus far, are obviously very keen to get things right. We also understand that the success of the club is key for the shareholders to be successful. Having said that, we need to ensure we do not take unnecessary risks to achieve success, or not take enough risk. The key is striking the right balance in the context of where the club is today.
