Mighty Leeds Weblog

Javi Gracia has told his Leeds United players to forget about whether or not they start and to focus more on making any minutes count. By Graham Smyth The Spaniard, installed last week as Jesse Marsch's replacement on a 'flexible' contract, won his first game in charge against Southampton, making just a single change from the side who kicked off at Goodison a week prior. A great swathe of changes were never likely, given the scant time Gracia had with the squad before they welcomed the Saints to Elland Road, but his only alteration was an interesting point. Out went Crysencio Summerville, a player widely regarded as a breakout talent this season thanks to that four-game goalscoring streak and his onfield translation of an off-field relationship with Willy Gnonto. In came Brenden Aaronson, a player who started the season in a promising way but subsequently failed to make an impact with goal contributions, looked physically outmatched and by Jesse Marsch's admissi...

The Spaniard led Watford to the 2019 FA Cup final. Mark Walker Javi Gracia has no intention of sacrificing the FA Cup in his bid to keep Leeds in the Premier League. The Leeds head coach, who made a winning start in his first game in charge against Southampton on Saturday, guided former club Watford to the FA Cup final in 2019. That Wembley experience was the highlight of Gracia’s 20-month tenure at Vicarage Road, despite losing 6-0 to Manchester City in the final, and the Spaniard “would like to live it again”. Gracia, whose side play at Fulham in the fifth round on Tuesday night, said: “Very, very good memories. Unforgettable for me. “What I could see in that competition, the way our supporters enjoyed it, it’s something I will never forget. “It’s something I’ve tried to explain to my players. I have only one experience, but that experience was something amazing for me and I would like to live it again.” Leeds will be bidding to reach the last eight for the first time...

The former Premier League star had an advisory role at Elland Road before suddenly being sacked by the former Whites owner. Former Premier League star Benito Carbone has accused ex-Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino of treating him 'like a criminal' when he was sacked from his role as a special consultant at the Whites back in 2014. The Italian, who had stints with Sheffield Wednesday, Aston Villa and Bradford, only spent a few months at Elland Road and Thorp Arch trying to help rebuild the club's academy but was swiftly fired when Cellino came into the club. Now Carbone has spoken about what it was like being on the Italian businessman's chopping block, and how he didn't even tell him he was sacked in person. "Massimo Cellino was really, really hard to work with," Carbone told William Hill. "I don’t want to offend him, but he’s a difficult person. I remember talking with my agent and discovering that Cellino sacked around 65 staff from the cl...

JUNIOR SPESH Written by: Moxcowhite • Daniel Chapman Before playing each other at Elland Road Leeds United and Southampton, 19th and 20th in the Premier League, each announced sorely needed new managers. After caretaking a 1-0 win over Chelsea in quiet enough style to ward off the ghosts of Nathan Jones and Jesse Marsch simultaneously, Ruben Selles was promoted into the job full-time and Saints fans arriving in Yorkshire were singing his name out loud. Leeds fans, awaiting their first glimpses of Javi Gracia on the touchline, were being more circumspect. Adoration is hard won in Yorkshire, where the least impressive thing you can make is an impression. While Southampton fans began convinced, Leeds fans were tense. In the end, Leeds took the shine off Selles and invited the travelling Saints to take a backwards glance at the day’s hero on their way back to the docks. Not Gracia, though. “You’ve seen Firpo,” the South Stand sang, “Now fuck off home.” In a league dominated by stor...

The Whites won their first match under the 52-year-old on Saturday Mark Walker Javi Gracia explained how he intends to keep Leeds in the Premier League after his winning start as head coach against Southampton. Junior Firpo’s solitary second-half strike clinched Leeds a 1-0 victory in a crunch relegation clash and lifted them out of the bottom three. Firpo’s first top-flight goal for the Whites raised the roof at Elland Road and ensured they avoided a new club record of 11 Premier League games without a win. Former Watford boss Gracia, installed as Jesse Marsch’s permanent replacement on Tuesday, said: “I like offensive play. I would like to create a lot of chances. “But when I came here, when I saw not only the games, the statistics as well, I thought it will be better for the team to find a good balance – defending and attacking – and today we got a clean sheet. I think this is the best way to grow. “We prepared as much as possible, trying to be solid, to be compact, work...

Georginio Rutter has hailed the effects of new boss Javi Gracia’s instructions and outlined his next Leeds United hope after an “amazing” Whites first. Lee Sobot January recruit and new record signing Rutter was named on the Whites bench for Saturday’s enormous relegation-battle six pointer at home to Southampton which marked new Leeds head coach Gracia’s first game in charge. With the score still goalless, Rutter was brought on to replace Brenden Aaronson with 15 minutes left and Elland Road erupted just two minutes later as Junior Firpo bagged the only goal of the game to seal a 1-0 victory that propelled Leeds out of the drop zone. Firpo’s strike presented Rutter’s first experience of a Leeds goal inside Elland Road and the 20-year-old is now quickly eyeing another upon next United’s next game in front of their home crowd. With the help of fellow Frenchman Illan Meslier as translator, Rutter also admitted that Saturday’s victory held even more importance in delivering a big ...

Leeds United were the only team in the bottom four to celebrate victory on Saturday and moved out of the drop zone with their 1-0 victory over Southampton. By Graham Smyth Javi Gracia could not have hoped for much more in terms of an Elland Road managerial debut with all that was missing from the performance being a few more clear-cut chances. In the context of the table and in light of how poor the visitors were, Leeds had to win, but they did, and rarely, if ever, looked capable of losing this one. The Spaniard rushes headlong into his next challenge, an FA Cup tie at Fulham on Tuesday, but he's off and running at the first sound of the starter's pistol. Here's the YEP take. Good day Junior Firpo Much maligned after a frustrating time of it since his arrival from Barcelona, Firpo came back into the team due to Pascal Struijk's concussion issue and having looked decent against Manchester United before a poor outing at Everton, truly seized his opportunity aga...

Javi Gracia already had an inkling but now he knows for certain that Elland Road is the place to be when Leeds United win. By Graham Smyth A period of 112 days separated this club from its last Premier League victory but beating Southampton after what Gracia described as a single day together gives him optimism for what they can achieve. How much credit Leeds United get for beating Southampton, a team you have to beat to have any right to Premier League status, is perhaps a debate for another day because the job was as simple as Gracia's. He's got to keep Leeds up, they had to beat the Saints. The Saints were poor and so too was the game for large parts, facts that did not matter one jot at full-time as Junior Firpo, the unlikeliest of heroes, pumped his fists to elicit guttural roars from the South Stand, but facts all the same. Comfortably the worst side to take on the Whites this season, arguably in all competitions, Southampton's plan was difficult to decipher...

Leeds United left-back Junior Firpo scored the game’s only goal on Saturday afternoon as the Whites defeated fellow relegation rivals Southampton at Elland Road Joe Donnohue The Spaniard ensured countryman Javi Gracia got off to a winning start in the home dugout after being appointed new head coach on Tuesday. Firpo believes his 77th minute strike is the biggest goal of his career given the context of the situation Leeds currently find themselves in. United’s victory put an end to a ten-game winless run in the Premier League and lifted the team out of the relegation zone at the expense of last weekend’s opponents Everton, who were beaten 2-0 by Aston Villa. Speaking after the game, Firpo said: “Yeah, probably yes [the biggest goal of my career], I think in the situation that we are right now. "I always say the same. We don't deserve to be here. We demonstrate today we were the better team. We get our win and happily I score, so also really happy.” Firpo invited fr...

By Phil Dawkes After leaving Watford, Gracia managed Valencia, with his last job prior to joining Leeds being with Al Sadd in Qatar In a season in which many of their decisions could be accused of lacking sense, Leeds had a glimpse on Saturday of what a little clear-headed practicality can bring. Junior Firpo's solitary second-half goal was enough to see off a stubborn Southampton and provide a vital three points that lift the Whites out of the Premier League's bottom three. The match itself was low on quality, frantic and frustrating, played out in front of a nervy, quick to anger crowd and by players often adversely affected by the enormity of the task at hand. But at the centre of it was a newly installed manager in Javi Gracia, who spoke sensibly before and after and made logical, pragmatic and ultimately match-winning decisions in between. The Spaniard was far from Leeds' first choice to succeed Jesse Marsch, but the early evidence suggests he may be the le...

RECENTLY-APPOINTED head coach Javi Gracia believes that Leeds United's precious victory over Southampton will provide a confidence booster for everyone connected with the club. By Leon Wobschall A goal from Junior Firpo moved the Elland Road outfit out of the top-flight relegation zone in the Spaniard's first game in charge as United avoided creating an unwanted club record of 11 Premier League matches without a victory. The hero was Firpo, who scored his first competitive goal in two years and a maiden one for Leeds when he profited from clever work from substitute Crysencio Summerville and Jack Harrison to beat Saints keeper Gavin Bazunu in front of the Kop 13 minutes from time. It was a rare moment of quality in a poor game, although Leeds deserved their victory against a desperately poor Saints side. It was United's first league success since beating another south-coast side in Bournemouth, also at home, back in early November. Gracia said: "I feel real...

Leeds United finally bagged their first Premier League win since November as a Junior Firpo strike sealed a 1-0 victory at home to Southampton in new boss Javi Gracia’s first game in charge. Lee Sobot The Whites created a series of decent enough chances during a first-half in which they had the lion’s share of possession but the Saints held firm and offered the occasional threat on the break. One of the best openings for Leeds failed to end with a shot on goal as Weston McKennie stole in and raced towards goal with Brenden Aaronson alongside him but McKennie placed his pass behind Aaronson and the Saints cleared. Leeds continually worked the ball to both Willy Gnonto and Jack Harrison on both flanks but without any end product as Gavin Bazunu saved any attempts that weren’t off target such as Patrick Bamford’s attempt to guide home a cross on the volley. Leeds failed to kick on after the restart and new Whites boss Gracia took off Gnonto to introduce Crysencio Summerville on th...

Leeds 0-1 Southampton: Junior Firpo’s goal ensured Javi Gracia enjoyed the perfect start to life as Leeds boss Mark Walker Junior Firpo struck a second-half winner as Leeds beat Premier League relegation rivals Southampton 1-0 to climb out of the bottom three. Left-back Firpo’s first top-flight goal halted Leeds’ 10-game winless league run and ensured a winning start for new boss Javi Gracia in his first game in charge. Leeds appointed former Watford manager Gracia on Tuesday after last week’s defeat at Everton left them in the relegation zone and his side responded with their first league win since November. There had been the prospect of Leeds’ former boss Jesse Marsch returning to Elland Road in charge of Southampton for this key relegation match. But talks between the south-coast club and the American broke down last week and the Saints then won at Chelsea before appointing interim boss Ruben Selles until the summer. Leeds had slipped into the bottom three after a dis...

Leeds 1-0 Southampton: Junior Firpo strikes late for the hosts to take them out of the relegation zone as Javi Gracia wins his first game as manager... with Saints rooted to the bottom after defeat at jubilant Elland Road Junior Firpo's right-footed shot 13 minutes from time helped Leeds beat Saints It was Javi Gracia's first match in charge of the hosts as they jumped up to 17th Southampton are left adrift at the foot of the Premier League table with defeat By JOE BERNSTEIN There was a sense of justice in Leeds United winning their first match under new manager Javi Gracia to climb out of the relegation zone. Southampton, the only team below them at the start of play, had a not very subtle plan to spoil the game with players going down “injured”, delaying goal-kicks to tie bootlaces and even coming out late for the second half. Once Junior Firpo had broken the deadlock after 77 minutes – his strike beating goalkeeper Gavin Bazunu despite lacking power - the visit...

LEEDS UNITED chief executive officer Angus Kinnear has defended that amount of time it took the club to appoint Javi Gracia - and also outlined the reasons why the Premier League strugglers opted for the Spaniard to took over as full-time head coach. By Leon Wobschall Gracia takes charge of the second-from-bottom Whites for the first time in a huge relegation six-pointer with the only side below them in the table, Southampton, at Elland Road on Saturday afternoon. Leeds had previously targeted moves for Rayo Vallecano's Andoni Iraola and Feyenoord's Arne Slot after sacking Jesse Marsch earlier this month, but endured frustration and matters came to a head following last weekend's poor loss at relegation rivals Everton, intensifying the pressure to bring in a new permanent head coach after three games under the interim command of Michael Skubala. On Garcia, Kinnear, writing in his programme notes, said: "He impressed everybody in all of our meetings, not only be...

Liam Cooper says there has been a common theme in conversations about new boss Javi Gracia who the captain believes can take Leeds United up the table with additional help from the club’s fans. Lee Sobot Former Watford and Valencia boss Gracia was appointed as the club’s new head coach on Tuesday and the 52-year-old received his visa on Friday ahead of today’s enormous Elland Road showdown against Southampton. Gracia has not worked in England since being sacked by Watford in September 2019 but the Spaniard steered the relegation-battling Hornets to a 14th-placed finish following his January appointment in the 2017-18 campaign. Gracia then took Watford to an 11th-placed finish and FA Cup final the following term and Cooper has issued a very positive and upbeat message about United’s prospects under their new head coach mixed in with the support of the club’s fans. "As a group we’re all excited by Javi Gracia coming in as our new head coach,” wrote Cooper in his matchday p...

IN JAVI GRACIA'S opening press conference after officially being confirmed as Leeds United's new head coach, you got the distinct impression that as individuals go, he is a bit of an iron fist in a velvet glove. By Leon Wobschall He was softly-spoken and personable in his utterances and while he did not reveal anything startling, the Spaniard did drop one or two hints that behind his benign image, here is someone who knows what he wants and is very much the boss. In Leeds's current predicament, that is surely no bad thing. There has been talk about the disciplinarian side of Gracia from his previous time in the Premier League at Watford, where he quickly took charge of the club's fines system from the players, who were reportedly hit in the pocket for a lack of punctuality - not just for training, but also missing physio appointments, yoga sessions and the like. Gracia tried his best to refute that authoritarian charge. But his sentiments did have a whiff of B...

Leeds United’s newly-appointed head coach spoke with the media on Friday, previewing the important Premier League clash with Southampton on Saturday. The Whites return to action at Elland Road and will be guided by their newly-appointed head coach, along with his coaching staff. Gracia is looking forward to the game and believes his players are more than capable of showing the quality needed to move up the table.  He said: “I think everybody knows the potential of this squad, the commitment of this squad, the energy, the passion they have to play.  “For me they show me all these things I’ve said. In this moment they need a good result to change the dynamic because the rest of the things they are doing really well. “Then for me and the coaches, it’s easy to stay with them and work with them because they really want to do it and improve the situation." On Saturday’s important match with Southampton, Javi and his backroom staff have watched them in the build up, havin...

Leeds have confirmed that Gracia will be in charge for the crucial home match against Southampton on Saturday Leeds United have appointed former Watford boss Javi Gracia as their new manager. Gracia replaces Jesse Marsch after a turbulent search that saw the Premier League club miss out on several of their top targets, and will be in charge for the key meeting with fellow strugglers Southampton this weekend after his work permit was confirmed. Leeds are 19th in the Premier League table and without a win in 10 matches. Defeat in the weekend’s relegation six-pointer with Everton saw the club fall into the bottom three and Gracia will now be tasked with keeping the Elland Road club up over the final 15 games of the campaign. Leeds announced the news in a statement on their official website, and tweeted: “Leeds United is delighted to announce Javi Gracia’s visa has been confirmed, along with a number of new additions to the existing backroom staff.” Earlier in the week the club h...

The YEP’s sport team has explained the latest as Leeds United attempt to clear new boss Javi Gracia to work. By Jamie Kemble Leeds United’s process to get Javi Gracia cleared to manage the team has been detailed. Gracia was announced as Jesse Marsch’s successor earlier this week, but he is not yet able to get to work. That’s because post-Brexit rules mean managers who don’t automatically have the right to work in the UK must meet certain criteria to get their work permit, and Gracia does not meet the initial criteria. That doesn’t mean he will not eventually get the clearance he needs to take up his new job, but it does mean the process will take time, likely meaning he will not be officially in charge for this weekend’s relegation six-pointer with bottom club Southampton. As the situation continues to unfold slowly, Graham Smyth has explained the process, saying on The Inside Elland Road Podcast: “The FA can issue a governing body exemption to the current post-Brexit immigra...

Leeds United face an enormous Premier League relegation-battle six pointer at home to Southampton tomorrow and the club’s new head coach Javi Gracia spoke to the media for the first time today. Lee Sobot Just one point separates second-bottom Leeds and bottom-of-the-table Southampton ahead of Saturday’s 3pm showdown at Elland Road. The Whites failed to muster a single shot on target in last weekend’s 1-0 defeat at Everton and the Elland Road club then announced on Tuesday that former Watford boss Gracia had agreed terms to become United’s new head coach, subject to obtaining a work permit. Leeds and Gracia were still awaiting the necessary work permissions which led to question marks about who would be in the dugout for Saturday’s relegation-battle six pointer against the Saints. Under-21s boss Michael Skubala has overseen United’s last three games following the sacking of Jesse Marsch. But Leeds announced at 12.30pm on Friday that Gracia’s visa had been confirmed and just 15 min...