Mighty Leeds Weblog

Yorkshire Post 19/1/13 Sean O’Driscoll’s first game in charge of the npower Championship’s bottom club ended in defeat as Ross McCormack’s second-half header helped Leeds to a 1-0 success against Bristol City at Elland Road. O’Driscoll took over at Ashton Gate this week, less than a month after his acrimonious departure from Nottingham Forest, and for 65 minutes watched his new charges hold their own against a Leeds side who were barracked by their own fans for an anaemic performance in front of goal. McCormack’s second strike of the week changed the mood, though, putting Leeds on their way to a sixth successive home league win, a statistic that goes against the sarcastic cheers that have started to accompany every shot they have at goal. They remain in touching distance of the promotion hopefuls, however, and manager Neil Warnock will now look to new owners GFH Capital to provide him with what he needs to try and close the gap. For O’Driscoll, this was his second encounter with...

Yorkshire Evening Post 19/1/13 By Phil Hay Neil Warnock’s marriage with Leeds United was the end result of a total loss of confidence in Simon Grayson. The club did not sack Grayson because they wanted Warnock; they sacked him because they no longer trusted his management. Their pursuit of Warnock began two weeks later. Football is like that: the man of the job one day, a busted flush the next. Nigel Adkins read the script yesterday. In an interview published in today’s YEP, Richard Naylor – Leeds’ ex-captain and their Under-18s coach – untied the elephant in the room by asking why so many people flock towards management when that line of employment is so exacting and ruthless. Where is the appeal in standing on the touchline at Barnsley with chants of ‘time to go’ ringing in your ears? Here is the irony of Warnock’s treatment last Saturday. He was, by a rough estimation, the most popular and credible appointment since United’s demotion from the Premiership. Yet no manager since ...

Yorkshire Evening Post 19/1/13 By Phil Hay Norwich City striker Steve Morison has emerged as a possible target for Leeds United with the forward seemingly edging towards the exit door at Carrow Road. Leeds and Championship rivals Blackburn Rovers are being linked with the former Millwall forward whose position at Norwich is under threat due to the club’s interest in Swansea City striker Danny Graham and Celtic’s Gary Hooper. United manager Neil Warnock is pursuing a new goalscorer and initial interest in Dexter Blackstock – a player approaching the end of his contract at Nottingham Forest – is likely to come to nothing with Forest intent on retaining Blackstock beyond the end of the January transfer window. Morison, 29, cost Norwich £2.8million in the summer of 2011, joining the Canaries shortly after their promotion to the Premier League. He caught the eye during two previous seasons at Millwall and has played more than 50 times in the top flight but most of his appearances this ...

Yorkshire Post 19/1/13 NEIL WARNOCK has launched an impassioned defence of Leeds United’s playing style amid mounting criticism of their tactics and performances. The United manager has come under fire from a section of the club’s supporters who want attractive football as well as success. Warnock, whose side will be aiming to rekindle their promotion hopes at home to bottom club Bristol City this afternoon, believes Leeds’s approach is anything but staid. And he claimed his players had not received sufficient credit for their performance at Birmingham on Tuesday, where their 2-1 win earned a lucrative FA Cup fourth-round tie against Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on January 27. “We play some good football,” said Warnock, whose side are five points and five places outside the Championship play-off spots. “All managers are expected to deliver both (style and success) and that’s what I set out to do this season for everyone connected with the club. “To be honest, I don’t think w...

Mail 19/1/13 By Simon Jones Leeds United manager Neil Warnock is close to sealing a deal for former Portsmouth striker Aruna Dindane. The 32-year-old is a free agent after leaving Qatar-based Al-Sailiya Sport Club after just six months. Former Ivory Coast international Dindane is signing a contract that runs until May with Warnock hoping his goals can lift Leeds back into the top six.

Yorkshire Evening Post 18/1/13 By Phil Hay Neil Warnock admitted today that managing Leeds United was proving to be one of the most difficult jobs of his career – but claimed he had no regrets about stepping into the post 11 months ago. The 64-year-old reflected on his position at Elland Road after a week in which he faced up to a grim defeat at Barnsley, open criticism of him by United’s supporters and doubts about the future of the club’s leading goalscorer, Luciano Becchio. Warnock took charge of Leeds in February of last year, replacing Simon Grayson and accepting the remit of winning promotion this season, but that target appears remote with United five points adrift of sixth position after 27 matches. His time as manager has coincided with the protracted takeover of Leeds by GFH Capital – a deal which took seven months to complete and left Warnock short of funds in the summer transfer window – and increasing unrest among the club’s fans provoked chants of ‘time to go’ agains...

Yorkshire Evening Post 17/1/13 By Phil Hay Neil Warnock is confident that he retains the support of Leeds United’s owners following positive discussions in the wake of the club’s damaging loss to Barnsley last weekend. Warnock said “supportive” conversations had taken place with representatives of GFH Capital, the Dubai-based firm which bought Leeds last month, after supporters called for the manager’s sacking towards the end of a fractious game at Oakwell. The 63-year-old faced down an angry reaction to United’s performance and saw his squad restore a degree of calm with a 2-1 FA Cup victory at Birmingham City on Tuesday night, their first away success since December 1. Warnock’s mind turned quickly to a “big game” against Bristol City this weekend, with Leeds five points adrift of the Championship’s play-off positions and their season in the balance. But phone calls with United’s new owners after the defeat at Barnsley reassured him that he had not lost the backing of the boar...