Leeds United's new chairman speaks exclusively to the Daily Express
Express 4/8/13
SALAH NOORUDDIN is polished, engaging, diplomatic and unexcitable. But the best way to describe him to Leeds fans in just four words is, “Everything Ken Bates isn’t”.
By: Matthew Dunn
As a newspaper that has followed Leeds’ fortunes closer than many in the turbulent recent past, the Daily Express was invited to be the first to grill the latest incarnation of Leeds chairman on his vision as the club enters its 10th season outside the top flight.
In 15 years covering events at Elland Road, I have seen close up the varying approaches of Peter Ridsdale, Professor John McKenzie, Trevor Birch, Gerald Krasner and Bates.
What struck me most after my first conversation with Nooruddin is that, almost by design, he is the polar opposite of the latter. During our long and wide-ranging chat, the Bahrain businessman put the “charm” into “charm offensive”. For the majority of fans, Bates only ever ticked the second box.
The controversial former owner has always known, and spoken, his mind. The new regime seem determined to canvas opinion from everywhere before committing to a plan of action.
Bates had lots of experience and little money. To preserve the contrast, then, the inexperienced Nooruddin would need to be minted.
Sadly for Leeds fans, though, there are no mystery oil sheikhs hiding away in his Middle East consortium.
There is enough in the coffers of the investment bankers , Nooruddin insists, but there could always be more. That is why the group are actively courting other potential investors.
Not, he is determined to point out, because after seven months in charge they are already looking to sell up.
“GFH is a private equity firm and potentially they are looking to achieve some return from their investment,” he said. “The notion that the ownership of a football club is not a short-term project is very important indeed.
“That has to be true for all the stakeholders, including the fans. It has to be a medium and long term project. And the key objective is promotion back to the Premier League.
“When I say we want all the stakeholders behind this, I mean the community, the fans, shareholders, staff and players. They all need to understand that we will reach our key objective but we have to do it in a way that is sustainable and achievable.”
Should fans be put off by such a brazen admission that the owners are in it for the money? Not really. Does the motivation really matter when there is a concerted effort to make the club great again?
Nevertheless, it is reassuring to know that Nooruddin does at least have some football in his soul.
“Leeds has a history,” he said. “It is a great club. It has a huge fan base. When I was a child, I remember my parents used to follow Leeds. It is not an unknown name. We know Leeds. We know its history. We know its magnitude.
“You cannot disconnect yourself from your history. What you have to do it learn from your mistakes and from the past. This is what we are trying to do. We want to create a new history. We want to create a new era.
Nooruddin genuinely seems in no rush. The path back to the Premier League is a steady one and he fully expects current manager Brian McDermott to lead them along it in good time.
“We are not expecting to get back into the Premier League overnight,” he said. “We achieved a mid-table ranking last season and while we hope to get promotion, let’s be realistic.
“We will try to push our ranking up to the top six and then the year after we will hope to get through the play-offs to promotion. It should be a staggered plan. This is exactly what we are doing. Brian especially shares that view with us and he is a good manager.”
Moreover, Nooruddin wants the Leeds fans to March on Together behind the former Reading manager. To that end, the new chairman has already been courting the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust group generally ridiculed by Bates and appealed to Yorkshiremen everywhere by lowering ticket prices for the coming season.
As a result, more than 33,000 fans went along to Elland Road for yesterday's 2-1 win over Brighton, the biggest opening day attendance since the club dropped out of the Premier League a decade ago.
“I am getting calls from people connected to the fans saying that we have done a number of things that have been received very, very positively,” Nooruddin added.
“We have taken a number of initiatives. We have reduced ticket prices and the message is we have new management, new manager, new era.”
Long-suffering Leeds fans are hoping they are all good “new”s.
As a newspaper that has followed Leeds’ fortunes closer than many in the turbulent recent past, the Daily Express was invited to be the first to grill the latest incarnation of Leeds chairman on his vision as the club enters its 10th season outside the top flight.
In 15 years covering events at Elland Road, I have seen close up the varying approaches of Peter Ridsdale, Professor John McKenzie, Trevor Birch, Gerald Krasner and Bates.
What struck me most after my first conversation with Nooruddin is that, almost by design, he is the polar opposite of the latter. During our long and wide-ranging chat, the Bahrain businessman put the “charm” into “charm offensive”. For the majority of fans, Bates only ever ticked the second box.
The controversial former owner has always known, and spoken, his mind. The new regime seem determined to canvas opinion from everywhere before committing to a plan of action.
Bates had lots of experience and little money. To preserve the contrast, then, the inexperienced Nooruddin would need to be minted.
Sadly for Leeds fans, though, there are no mystery oil sheikhs hiding away in his Middle East consortium.
There is enough in the coffers of the investment bankers , Nooruddin insists, but there could always be more. That is why the group are actively courting other potential investors.
Not, he is determined to point out, because after seven months in charge they are already looking to sell up.
“GFH is a private equity firm and potentially they are looking to achieve some return from their investment,” he said. “The notion that the ownership of a football club is not a short-term project is very important indeed.
“That has to be true for all the stakeholders, including the fans. It has to be a medium and long term project. And the key objective is promotion back to the Premier League.
“When I say we want all the stakeholders behind this, I mean the community, the fans, shareholders, staff and players. They all need to understand that we will reach our key objective but we have to do it in a way that is sustainable and achievable.”
Should fans be put off by such a brazen admission that the owners are in it for the money? Not really. Does the motivation really matter when there is a concerted effort to make the club great again?
Nevertheless, it is reassuring to know that Nooruddin does at least have some football in his soul.
“Leeds has a history,” he said. “It is a great club. It has a huge fan base. When I was a child, I remember my parents used to follow Leeds. It is not an unknown name. We know Leeds. We know its history. We know its magnitude.
“You cannot disconnect yourself from your history. What you have to do it learn from your mistakes and from the past. This is what we are trying to do. We want to create a new history. We want to create a new era.
We are not expecting to get back into the Premier League overnight Salah Nooruddin“But I think eventually Leeds should be in their rightful position high in the Premier League. It is a great club and has to go back there. How far all depends on the circumstances, but we are willing to take that challenge . Eventually, eventually, this is a great club and will get back.“
Nooruddin genuinely seems in no rush. The path back to the Premier League is a steady one and he fully expects current manager Brian McDermott to lead them along it in good time.
“We are not expecting to get back into the Premier League overnight,” he said. “We achieved a mid-table ranking last season and while we hope to get promotion, let’s be realistic.
“We will try to push our ranking up to the top six and then the year after we will hope to get through the play-offs to promotion. It should be a staggered plan. This is exactly what we are doing. Brian especially shares that view with us and he is a good manager.”
Moreover, Nooruddin wants the Leeds fans to March on Together behind the former Reading manager. To that end, the new chairman has already been courting the Leeds United Supporters’ Trust group generally ridiculed by Bates and appealed to Yorkshiremen everywhere by lowering ticket prices for the coming season.
As a result, more than 33,000 fans went along to Elland Road for yesterday's 2-1 win over Brighton, the biggest opening day attendance since the club dropped out of the Premier League a decade ago.
“I am getting calls from people connected to the fans saying that we have done a number of things that have been received very, very positively,” Nooruddin added.
“We have taken a number of initiatives. We have reduced ticket prices and the message is we have new management, new manager, new era.”
Long-suffering Leeds fans are hoping they are all good “new”s.