Leeds United reveal restructure with fresh appointment and promotion as investors lend expertise - YEP 18/7/23

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Leeds United have appointed a technical director and made a major internal promotion as part of a major restructure of their football operation.

By Graham Smyth

Chairman Paraag Marathe and CEO Angus Kinnear have been carrying out a review of the club's football departments in the interim period between a takeover deal being agreed and the EFL giving it the green light.

The new face at Elland Road is Gretar Steinsson, the 41-year-old ex-Bolton Wanderers defender. He has been appointed as technical director so will oversee the club's football strategy. Leeds parted company with director of football Victor Orta late last season when the Spaniard and the board failed to see eye to eye over the decision to sack Javi Gracia and replace him with Sam Allardyce.

Nick Hammond, who had already been hired for a three-month stint as interim football adviser to take care of the transfer window, will continue to take the lead when it comes to player trading. Leeds chiefs are pleased with how the ex-Celtic and Newcastle consultant has handled a challenging window thus far and it remains a possibility that Hammond could stay involved with the club beyond his current contract.

Adam Underwood, who was previously academy operations manager, will be promoted to the role of football operations manager, running much of life at Thorp Arch, including team travel and working in conjunction with the coaching and medical staff.

Rob Price continues in his role as head of medicine and performance and Hannah Cox, based at Elland Road, remains head of football administration, taking care of player contracts and transfer legalities.

Kinnear said: “We welcome Gretar to Leeds, we believe he will be a fantastic part of a new look team, which has been assembled to support Daniel as we look to rebuild. Gretar, alongside the rest of the group, will manage the football department during this critical period.”

As for the club's new owners, who officially took control on Monday night upon receipt of EFL approval for their takeover, decision-making power will rest solely with the board, which for now comprises Marathe, Kinnear, new vice chairman Rudy Cline-Thomas who is one of the biggest investors in 49ers Enterprises and fellow major player Peter Lowy.

49ers Enterprises, who bought Andrea Radrizzani's 56 per cent shareholding to assume full ownership, is an investment vehicle that has brought together a number of wealthy individuals from the worlds of business and sport. The opportunity to invest in Leeds has attracted some of the biggest names in American sport, from the NBA to the NFL, NHL and golf but perhaps the name that stood out most of all on Monday night was the world's most decorated Olympian Michael Phelps.

Even if the board will be ultimately responsible for deciding the club's direction of travel, investors will be involved in discussions regarding various aspects of life at Elland Road and Marathe has already shown an eagerness to lean on a number of the financial backers for their expertise in respective fields.

Michael Schwimer, a former Major League Baseball pitcher, is the founder and CEO of Big League Advantage. The 37-year-old announced on Monday night that Phelps, golf superstars Jordan Speith and Justin Thomas, NBA basketballer Larry Nance, former Jacksonville Jaguars NFL linebacker Myles Jack, ex- University of Arizona basketball player TJ McConnell and NHL stars Erik Johnson and Gabriel Landeskog had put money into Leeds in partnership with his company.

But Big League Advantage and other investors are not just throwing cash behind the new regime. Schwimer's firm, which uses sports analytics and algorithms to invest in athletes, has already provided help with data at Leeds this summer. Schwimer has sent some of his people to explore ways in which they can further support the work going on to build a squad worthy of promotion for Daniel Farke. 49ers Enterprises have also installed some senior members of staff at Elland Road and significant growth in both the head count and the general operation at the stadium is expected before long.

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