'In effect he sacked me twice,' McDermott speaks about Cellino and Leeds
Here is the City 12/10/14
Vincent Ralph
Leeds United fans had the chance to quiz Brian McDermott on Sunday, and he was honest in his responses.
Former Leeds United manager Brian McDermott has been speaking about his time at Elland Road.
The ex-Reading boss was ultimately dismissed twice by club owner Massimo Cellino and many Leeds fans feel that McDermott was unfairly treated.
They had the chance to put their questions to their former boss when he appeared on Sky Sports on Sunday morning, and the 53-year-old was honest in his summation of his time at the club.
“Any day you are manager of Leeds United is a good day,” he said. “I’m proud of the fact I’ve managed Leeds United. It didn’t end the way I wanted it to end; when I turned up there we had five games to go and I think we were struggling a little bit.
“We won the first game against Sheffield Wednesday which is just as well we did, I don’t know how we won it, and we stayed in the league and then obviously the following season a lot of things happened.
“I just feel in hindsight you need a year at least to have a look at it, to see what goes on.”
Speaking of his relationship with Cellino, McDermott said, “In effect he sacked me twice.
“We had a meeting, we didn’t do particularly well in January, he sacked me before he actually owned the club. I was reinstated in February. I had a phone call from someone at Leeds that I didn’t actually know.
“It’s fair to say when Massimo came in he didn’t just have a little look at it, he steamrollered the place.”
But despite finally ending his time as Leeds boss in May, five months after he was reportedly first given his marching orders, McDermott revealed he has a good relationship with his former boss.
“I have to say, since I’ve left, I talk to him (Cellino) regularly, we get on well,” McDermott said. “Obviously if we’d known each other a bit better at the time, or if we’d know each other at all, it might have worked out.”
There are plenty of Leeds fans out there who wish that was the case.
Vincent Ralph
Leeds United fans had the chance to quiz Brian McDermott on Sunday, and he was honest in his responses.
Former Leeds United manager Brian McDermott has been speaking about his time at Elland Road.
The ex-Reading boss was ultimately dismissed twice by club owner Massimo Cellino and many Leeds fans feel that McDermott was unfairly treated.
They had the chance to put their questions to their former boss when he appeared on Sky Sports on Sunday morning, and the 53-year-old was honest in his summation of his time at the club.
“Any day you are manager of Leeds United is a good day,” he said. “I’m proud of the fact I’ve managed Leeds United. It didn’t end the way I wanted it to end; when I turned up there we had five games to go and I think we were struggling a little bit.
“We won the first game against Sheffield Wednesday which is just as well we did, I don’t know how we won it, and we stayed in the league and then obviously the following season a lot of things happened.
“I just feel in hindsight you need a year at least to have a look at it, to see what goes on.”
Speaking of his relationship with Cellino, McDermott said, “In effect he sacked me twice.
“We had a meeting, we didn’t do particularly well in January, he sacked me before he actually owned the club. I was reinstated in February. I had a phone call from someone at Leeds that I didn’t actually know.
“It’s fair to say when Massimo came in he didn’t just have a little look at it, he steamrollered the place.”
But despite finally ending his time as Leeds boss in May, five months after he was reportedly first given his marching orders, McDermott revealed he has a good relationship with his former boss.
“I have to say, since I’ve left, I talk to him (Cellino) regularly, we get on well,” McDermott said. “Obviously if we’d known each other a bit better at the time, or if we’d know each other at all, it might have worked out.”
There are plenty of Leeds fans out there who wish that was the case.