Andrea Radrizzani's Marcelo Bielsa succession is among most important Leeds United tasks of 2022 - Leeds Live 23/12/21
Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani has a number of tasks to complete as custodian of the club in 2022
While 2020 brought welcome change at Leeds United, 2021 has
been a year of consolidation.
Maintaining the club's Premier League status was achieved as
early as March, although Leeds are unlikely to complete that particular task so
quickly next year.
2022 may well be a year of considerable upheaval at Elland
Road. As ever, Marcelo Bielsa's one-year contract expires at the end of the
season, while 49ers Enterprises' increased stake in Leeds United indicates
greater involvement from the Stateside consortium in the near future.
On the pitch, Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha will no doubt be
subject to speculation surrounding their futures once the summer transfer
window rolls around, ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
In short, lots could change at the club over the next 12
months, but uncertainty is not necessarily a bad thing.
If 2022 is to be Andrea Radrizzani's fifth and final year in
charge at Elland Road, he can ensure there is a smooth transition to full - or
majority - 49ers' ownership with a succession plan for the Board, the
management as well as the players and academy.
This could be the most crucial period of the Italian's
ownership. He has been instrumental in delegating responsibility to trusted
individuals and self-funded Leeds' return to the top flight, but as he stated
upon securing promotion, consolidation is of critical importance, especially
now there are multiple other factors including a change of ownership at play.
LeedsLive have selected three non-negotiable tasks facing
Radrizzani in 2022.
49ers Enterprises at Leeds United - a brief timeline
May 2018 - 49ers Enterprises purchases a minority 10%
holding in Leeds United
May 2018 - 49ers' chief Paraag Marathe is installed to the
Leeds United Board of Directors
July 2020 - Leeds United are promoted to the Premier League
January 2021 - 49ers Enterprises increase their stake in
Leeds United to 37%
May 2021 - Peter Lowy, Massimo Marinelli and Sandro Mencucci
are appointed to the Board
November 2021 - 49ers Enterprises increase their stake in
Leeds United to 44%
Continued investment
The most important thing for Leeds United as an entity in
2022 is that the club continues to move forward. If there is change at
boardroom level or amongst the managerial and coaching staff, the course the
club have plotted must not deviate.
This can be achieved by sustaining the current level of
investment in the Thorp Arch training facility, ploughing ahead with plans to
redevelop Elland Road and freshening up the playing squad.
Integrating boardrooms
There is no getting away from it: the 49ers are coming. With
a 44% stake in the club, 49ers Enterprises now control a sizeable chunk of
Leeds United and hold significant voting rights.
It is likely we will see the 49ers take over from Radrizzani
on a more permanent basis in the next two years. This is owing to an agreement
between the two parties, recently made public, that will ratify a sale
reportedly worth in excess of £400 million by January 2024.
As with wholesale change in any business, there will be a
period of transition and new faces to acclimatise to. It is a safe bet to
assume the 49ers will bring in their own movers and shakers in the executive
department, therefore integrating the likes of Angus Kinnear and Victor Orta
with the American consortium will be of great importance if the old regime and
new regime are to work harmoniously.
With a foot in both camps as current chairman, Andrea
Radrizzani can operate as outgoing matchmaker in that sense.
Bielsa succession plan
There are no guarantees in football, and Marcelo Bielsa's
future at Leeds United falls into that category. Despite difficult results and
swipes from critics, the fervour and adoration for the Argentine at Elland Road
is as strong as ever.
But, that doesn't mean he will remain in charge beyond this
summer, even if all concerned with the club wish for that to be the case.
At 66 years old, away from his family in Argentina, Bielsa
will bow out when he sees fit. He is currently the Premier League's oldest
manager after Roy Hodgson walked away from Crystal Palace in the summer, and
his departure is an eventuality all Leeds fans will need to reconcile
themselves with at some point.
Just as there are no guarantees he will stay, there are none
that he will leave, either. Despite his advancing years, Bielsa's enthusiasm
for the game remains and the opportunity to continue his work at Leeds United
is an open invitation.
If the unthinkable does happen next summer, no doubt Bielsa
will have informed the powers that be well in advance, in order to prepare the
club and squad for the next manager to come in and hit the ground running. If
that is to be the case, it will be without doubt one of Radrizzani's most
important tasks during his tenure as chairman of the club.