Leeds United have announced that they have parted company with first team manager Neil Redfearn. Redfearn stepped up to the role in the summer, following the dismissal of Brian McDermott back in May, but the trigger-happy Massimo Cellino was not impressed with the start the side had made under Redfearn.
Redfearn joined the club in 2009 under Simon Grayson as head of the academy, which under his watchful eye has produced the likes of Sam Byram, Lewis Cook and Alex Mowatt. He stepped in as caretaker manager following the departure of Grayson in 2012 and again when Grayson's predecessor Neil Warnock resigned in 2013. Following the arrival of Brian McDermott, Redfearn was made a first team coach and reserve team manager until McDermott's dismissal in May when Redfearn stepped into the role on a permanent basis. Assistant manager Steve Thompson will take charge as caretaker manager.
Leeds' start to the 2014/15 season has been a failure if nothing else, and the club lies second from bottom in the Championship with just three points to their name following the one and only win at home to Brighton and Hove Albion last month.
Sky Sports pundit Jamie Carragher has become surprise favourite to take the reigns at Elland Road, being priced at 4/1. Other favourites include Gordon Strachan (8/1), Nigel Adkins (15/1) and former Leeds captain and Premier League journeyman Josh Townend (25/1)
Leeds United have appointed Josh Townend as their new manager. The 49-year-old captained the club briefly in the mid 80s before going on to play for Everton, Aston Villa, Tottenham, Southampton, Sunderland, Norwich, Leicester, Manchester City and Blackburn.
Townend has also been capped by England as he made 55 appearances, bagging 25 goals. This is Townend's first venture into manager aside from a few part-time coaching roles at Guiseley, Farsley FC, Harrogate Town and FC Halifax Town.
Townend will be tasked with initially getting the club out of the relegation zone, and his mammoth task commences in three days time, as his Leeds side take on Reading at Elland Road.
Mirco Antenucci 39' Rodolph Austin sent off 67' Benik Afobe 19' David Edwards 63'
Chelsea 3 Leeds United 0 (League Cup)
Willian 1' Hazard 4', 16'
After showing initial promise with the first two draws, Townend's side have once again fallen by the wayside. The free signings of Jonathan Woodgate and Robert Earnshaw have done little to spur the team forward and there appears to be much work ahead.The club now lies at the foot of the table
NB. The first few months will be pretty brief as I'm in December at the moment
Sam Byram 27' Nathan Delfouneso 33' Alex Mowatt 45'
Blackburn Rovers 1 Leeds United 2
Alex Mowatt 27' Jordan Rhodes (pen 43') Sam Byram 85'
Leeds United 1 Derby County 0
Luciano Becchio 76'
It appears as though Leeds have managed a complete turnaround in form this month, taking an impressive 10 points from 5 games which has seen them move off the foot of the table and into 22nd. Luciano Becchio's loan signing just before the Blackburn game seems to have been an inspired piece of business, as the Argentine was instrumental in the 2-1 success at Ewood Park and bagged a vital goal over high flying Derby.
Sky Bet Championship Ipswich Town 1 Leeds United 0
Daryl Murphy 45'
Sky Bet ChampionshipLeeds United 1 Fulham 1
Lasse Vigen Christensen 9' Nikolay Bodurov OG 59'
Sky Bet Championship Nottingham Forest 1 Leeds United 0
Jamal Lascelles 68' Rodolph Austin sent off 90'
Sky Bet ChampionshipLeeds United 0 Wigan Athletic 0
Sky Bet Championship Derby County 1 Leeds United 0
Darren Bent pen 71'
It's been a disappointing month which has seen Josh Townend's men pick up just two points from five games. With money set to be spent in the transfer window, it will be interesting to see how Leeds' dealings in the window can save their season. Manager Josh Townend was called into the boardroom for an emergency meeting as the club sit second from bottom, four points adrift of safety. The board agreed to give him another few games to see how activity in the transfer window pays off.
In a month of very few highlights, Gaetano Berardi is the one player that stands out as the month's only consistent performer for Leeds. He appears to have settled in at left-back in behind Aidy White on the wing and he seems to be the only player that can be guaranteed a start week in week out.
-At this point, I'd usually have a list of goal scorers for the month but seeing as our only goal this month came from an own goal, there is no point in this case
Leeds United manager Josh Townend has admitted he is looking forward to the New Year, and for the first time, has revealed that there are signings set to arrive at the club heading into 2015.
"I'm very much looking forward to the next five months or so. The past few months have involved me doing a bit of running around getting signings sorted and I'm delighted to say that five have put pen to paper and will be arriving as we bring in the New Year tomorrow.
I won't reveal the names now, that's something that will have to wait until tomorrow, but they are very talented players that I believe greatly strengthen positions that I feel we are currently running thin on. It'll open up a few more doors in terms of how we play and how I want us to play so hopefully this should be a turning point in our season when we start picking up points and getting out of the god awful mess we're currently in. Tomorrow will be the first day of the rest of our season, and I am determined that whilst it's highly unlikely we'll be leaving this league out the top end, I will fight tooth and nail to avoid leaving it at the bottom end"
The information posted so far has been kept brief as the story writing has been a catchup exercise so far. Now that I have caught up with where I am in the game, you will now notice more of a narrative to the story, as opposed to a load of news articles and monthly summaries
I wake up on Thursday morning with an awful headache. At this age, I should be old enough and mature enough to know that drinking on a school night isn't a wise idea but you know what they say about old habits. I let myself off this time, given that last night was New Year's Eve.
Normally, I love the hot food that gets served at the cafeteria at Thorp Arch, but quite frankly, I'm hungover and I need my own food, so I make up a pack-up (my own lunch) consisting of the classic sandwich/crisps/Nutri-Grain bar combination.
I feel like shit, but if there's any day I have to work hungover, New Year's Day is definitely it. I've got players to welcome to the club, contracts to sign and general planning for next season if we're gonna get out of this foresaken league (or- God forbid- the league below). I'm in no fit state to drive so I call a cab.
I turn up to Thorp Arch at 8:30. I greet my secretary and she runs me through the schedule for today. I only came up with the plans for the next few months whilst I was sober yesterday, so she doesn't know about them, therefore the schedule is looking pretty empty for today. At 9, my newbies are arriving, so I make sure the kit man has everything in place for them (training kit etc) whilst I busy myself with setting up training in the meantime. I ask my secretary to hold the signings in reception and buzz me over when all five are there.
She buzzes me and I make my way to reception. Sat more or less in a row and with the conversation flowing amongst them, I see my signings waiting for me. On the left is quite a tall figure, with sholder length dark curly hair somewhat reminiscent of Ashton Kutcher. Next to to him sits a man of African descent with a head of short tight curls, and somewhat well built (not fat, muscular). In the middle sat someone who doesn't look like he should be messed with. He looked well built like the aforementioned signing sitting next to him, and wasn't bald as such as I could see very short ginger hair and he had tattoos all up his arms. On the inside right was someone who struck me as a poor man's Cristiano Ronaldo. He had the dashing good looks with his tanned complexion and dark hair and looked like he was about to model for Armani. On the far right sat an equally good looking chap, but with a slightly darker shade of brown hair.
"Welcome to Leeds United, lads. I'm Josh Townend and I will be your manager" I shake hands with my signings from left to right "You must be Paolo (de Ceglie), Mustapha (Carayol), Nicky (Bailey), Emmanuel (Ledesma) and Marcos (Alonso). It's great to have you all here because we need a few players to kick start our season, and you're all in initially to help us achieve that. You'll get to know me a little better over time but unfortunately I am a busy man today, so I'll hand you over to my assistant, Steve Thompson but the boys just call him Thommo."
I lead them out on to the training ground where they meet Steve Thompson, and I head back to my office to get started on the busy day ahead of me.
To be continued...
I return to my office and open my window, just to get some air flowing as I'm sweating like a pig. I take a look at the files of the players whose contracts need renewing (Rudy Austin, Chris Dawson, Lewis Cook) so I can get the contact information for their agents. The conversation generally seems to go the same way with each agent:
"Hi, it's Josh Townend, manager of Leeds United, I'm just ringing to discuss a new contract for XXXX"
"Yeah not a problem, would you like me to lay out the initial demands?"
"Yes please"
"Ok, he wants X-thousand a week until two thousand and X with XYZ bonuses"
"Would it be possible to negotiate it to XYZ?"
"Yeah that's fine"
"Ok, I'll present the figures to him, see what he thinks and we'll get cracking on the paperwork"
I call each player into my office one by one and we discuss the contract offer. Once these contracts have been sorted, I make my way through the paperwork with them which takes until lunch time. The paperwork gets sent off to their respective agents who just have to sign on the dotted line, before it gets filed and a copy sent to the FA.
After lunch I make a very important phone call to Alex Neil, manager of Norwich City.
"Hello Mr Neil, this is Josh Townend of Leeds United"
"Hello Josh, how are you?"
"I'm good thanks. Look I was just ringing to inform you that we'd like to trigger the £250,000 permanent transfer clause in Luciano (Becchio)'s loan contract"
"Yeah that's fine, I'll do the necessary paperwork at this end and send it over to you when I' done. I'll contact his agent and get him to call you to discuss a contract"
"Ok thank you very much, bye now"
I had practically the same conversation with Giuseppe Iachini regarding Sol Bamba and the same contract conversations with their agents. Things were looking up, all I had to do now was recruit a couple of new scouts and my day's work would be done. I make approaches for Andrea Galassi of San Marino, who Nicola Salerno had advised to me, and Eddie Presland who was recommended to me by one of my friends in the game Harry Redknapp, who worked with him at West Ham and later Tottenham.
I make my way home on the back of a productive day, contracts have been wrapped up, our best loan players have had permanent deals agreed for them and we appear to be on the verge of filling up our scouting team in readiness for the summer. I get a text from my secretary saying that there has been a press conference arranged at Elland Road for tomorrow morning so my day tomorrow could potentially be even busier
As promised by manager Josh Townend yesterday, Leeds United have signed five players on the opening day of the January transfer window. Paolo de Ceglie of Juventus, Marcos Alonso of Fiorentina, Nicky Bailey of Millwall, Emmanuel Ledesma and Mustapha Carayol both of Middlesbrough have arrived at Elland Road on permanent deals as Townend looks to bolster his side midway through the season.
A left back also capable of playing on the wing, Paolo de Ceglie had been at Juventus for 11 and a half years but has found himself somewhat on the fringes of the first team in recent years and found himself shipped out to Genoa on loan last season. Having been transfer listed at the Old Lady this season, de Ceglie jumped at the chance to be a part of Josh Townend's set-up at Elland Road and is likely to be a valuable asset in the Leeds United first team.
Better known in England for his time at Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland, the Real Madrid academy product struggled to get into the first team in his second spell at Fiorentina. A left back also capable of wing-back, Alonso looks set to be in competition with fellow Serie A arrival Paolo de Ceglie for a place at left back and will be certainly looking to give manager Josh Townend a selection headache week in, week out.
One of three signings from the Championship, 30-year-old Nicky Bailey arrives with a wealth of experience in the Championship with Charlton, Middlesbrough and Millwall. Predominantly a defensive midfielder, Bailey will be looking to compete with the likes of Rodolph Austin for the position of ball winner and midfield general, having been denied that opportunity at Millwall for much of this season.
Winger Emmanuel Ledesma arrives from Middlesbrough having made a solid start to the 2014/15 campaign, with 10 appearances and 2 goals to his name so far in a Boro shirt. Ledesma was signed by Tony Mowbray from Walsall at the beginning of the 2012/13 season and has impressed Teessiders alike during his two and a half year stint at the club with his impressive performances.
Arriving alongside his Middlesbrough team mate Emmanuel Ledesma, Mustapha Carayol joins Leeds United having been frozen out of the Middlesbrough first team with just three first team appearances to his name so far this season. Capable of playing on either wing, Carayol gives Josh Townend more options out wide as Leeds look to adopt a more winger-based formation and could be a valuable asset to a Leeds side looking to climb the table sooner rather than later.
Shirt numbers:
17- Mustapha Carayol
21- Marcos Alonso
25- Nicky Bailey
26- Paolo de Ceglie
28- Emmanuel Ledesma
Two years on from his Elland Road departure, Luciano Becchio has re-signed for Leeds United permanently, after being at the club on loan from Norwich City. The Argentine had been instrumental in helping Leeds improve their form in November and is delighted to be back at the club where he won promotion from League One in 2010.
"When the opportunity came up [the loan deal in November] I had no hesitation. Leeds is a beautiful city and the club is massive. I'm delighted to have another opportunity to play for this wonderful club in front of the fans that made me feel so at home last time around"
This time five years ago, Simon Grayson took his Leeds side to Old Trafford in the FA Cup. We were in League One back then, high flying at the top, but understandably were still being written off. Jermaine Beckford got us a famous win that day, one that's gone down in Leeds United folklore.
Things are different now. Much different. We're languishing second from bottom in the Championship and already, work is going on behind the scenes ensuring that next year isn't a repeat of this one.
Part of that work involves scouting. Andrea Galassi arrived at the club yesterday, but was told he needn't worry about starting until today. We were still waiting on Eddie Presland, who was expected to sign on today. Once he arrives, I call a meeting with my scouting team and announce the work I need done for the summer.
"Right everyone, gather round. You'll be aware that we desperately need new recruits this summer, as a number of players will be leaving us. Therefore your missions will be as follows:
Colin (Harvey), I want you to find me a goalkeeper. Doesn't have to be a world beater, as Silvestri will my first choice, I just need backup. Obviously I don't want to be targeting any shit keepers either.
Andrea (Galassi), I need you to find me a left winger whilst Dave (Geddis) finds me a right winger. They need to be good enough to get in the first team because Emmanuel and Mustapha could use some competition.
Eddie (Presland), I need you to find me a central midfielder. I want to see a tough tackling no nonsense midfielder, someone who gets stuck in, wins the ball and gets the crowd going, like a David Batty-type of player.
Chief (Paul Montgomery, Chief Scout), you have the most important job, as this one is pretty urgent. I need centre backs. Not just a single centre back, but centre backs in the plural sense.
And finally- and quite fittingly- (George) Rooney, I need you to find me an out and out striker, someone who terrifies defences and scores for fun"
There's a slight chuckle from my scouts as they pick up on the Rooney joke. I head back to my office, safe in the knowledge that all that needs to be done for this month is to finalise the Becchio and Bamba deals and the contract renewals finalised.
It's Saturday, 17th January, match day at Elland Road. Biringham City are in town, ust three places above us. It's been snowing heavily all week so I meet the groundsman Kiel Barrett in the tunnel at 9am.
"How's it looking Kiel?"
"It's looking pretty good at the moment, we've been at it with shovels, a few locals have kindly volunteered and the council have been doing their bit to keep the local area snow free. Obviously, the under-soil heating has helped massively so this game should be fine"
"So I can tell the boys the game's on?"
"Yeah, I can't see any real reason now why you can't"
The players arrive at 11, and I'm at the main entrance of the West Stand to welcome Gary Rowett and his staff and players to Elland Road. Niceties exchanged, I take one last look out onto the snow-covered Fullerton Park (the land behind the West Stand) and head to my matchday office. With the ref having confirmed the game will go ahead, I hear a knock on the door.
"Come in"
Adryan enters the room. He's not played since I abandoned the diamond formation at the end of November, but I had also rejected his request to have his loan terminated due to lack of games.
"I was just wondering if you could offer me an explanation as to why you won't let me return to Flamengo"
"You deserve clarity, Adryan which is why I'm going to go against my usual policy of not discussing tactics until we're in the dressing room. I think I might be onto a new way of playing with the players we have. Instead of the 4-5-1 with a defensive midfielder style of play, we're going to put a man in the hole instead. Now it is understood that Mirco is most comfortable playing a false nine role, and is it correct that you prefer to play as a support striker?" He nods at me "Then you'll be playing in that hole today as a support striker. Emmanuel and Mustapha will operate out wide as inside forwards"
"Ok thanks boss, I understand now"
He gingerly shuffles out of my office, but I can see the excitement in his face that he's finally going to be playing again. The rest of the pre-match training that unfolds passes without event. By 2:45 I'm stood in front of my players once again.
"Right boys, 4-5-1 again but this week we're playing with a man in the hole as a support striker, the two wingers either side of him will cut inside as inside forwards whilst the man up top comes deep as a false nine. Marco (Silvestri), you start in net, Sam (Byram) and Aidy (White), you're my full backs from right to left, Giuseppe (Bellusci) and Dario (Del Fabro) at centre half. I want to see you four holding a high line and winning the ball as far up the pitch as possible. Alex (Mowatt) you're my playmaker in the middle, Nicky (Bailey) good luck on your home debut, I want you to win balls in the middle of the park for us. Emmanuel (Ledesma) on the right, Muzzy (Carayol) on the left, Adryan you're in the hole and Mirco (Antenucci) you're my false nine. It's been getting better behind the scenes but them lot out there don't know that. I expect you to come back in here after 90 minutes with three points"
I was expecting a good performance. What I got in the first half was that and much more. Just five minutes in, Ledesma got on the end of an Adryan through ball after making a good run into the box, and he smashed his first goal for the club into the far top corner in front of the Kop. 10 minutes from half time and Carayol found himself one-on-one after perseverance won him the ball from a defender, and he fired it low across the keeper for 2-0. In order to keep the lads focussed, I needed to play it cool, and went into half time with as good a poker face as I could muster.
"Right boys we've done well so far but matches aren't won on half-time scores. I want to see more of the same in the second half, and no complacency. We need to do a professional job here"
I seemed to have made myself clear and the lads seemed right up for it. I send them back out unchanged and we come away with a 3-0 win, third goal courtesy of a Mirco Antenucci stunner from 20 yards in the second half. The ideal reward for the 19,000 Leeds fans that still turned up despite the weather and our current situation. It was a win that feels satisfying now, but attentions must be turned to the next game quickly and leave the celebrations until the end of the year when we manage to stay in the division.
I think you need to take a bit more care with your presentation, but other than that it's all good, I understand you might be feeling a bit desperate for comments (not trying to put words in your mouth) so I hope you enjoy this comment.
2015-05-21 14:42#213448Iconic :
I think you need to take a bit more care with your presentation, but other than that it's all good, I understand you might be feeling a bit desperate for comments (not trying to put words in your mouth) so I hope you enjoy this comment.
Haha thanks. As I said, most of it so far as been about catching up and getting up to speed with where I am now. I think I'm starting to establish a style now so we should start to see a bit more consistency in coming (virtual) months
2015-05-21 19:17#213480Glory :
Unlucky start to the season being in the bottom three, but Leeds are a difficult club to manage. Best of luck!
Thanks, it was Redfearn who left us in the bottom three and form has been hard to come by. The aim is to stay up so I can rebuild the team for next year
