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Introduction
Leeds United are one of English football biggest underachievers. The former Champions league semi-finalists currently lie in the nPower Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded in 1919, 'United', as they are known, play their home games at Elland Road, Leeds, which is a 37'697 all-seater stadium, home to some of the most vocal fans in Europe. Despite possessing top training facilities and good youth facilities, Leeds' rivals Manchester United, Galatasaray SK and Chelsea are some way up the food chain. It is up to one man to save Leeds United Football Club...
COOK TAKES CHARGE AT CRISIS CLUB LEEDS
Former Wales international Ryan Cook, 35, has today been announced as the new manager at Leeds United, replacing Neil Warnock, who was unable to bring success to the club. Cook, a former player at Leeds before injury brought his playing career to a close in 2008, had this to say, "Leeds United are a club I hold dear to my heart as my former employees. I am delighted to have another crack at seeing United promoted with my help, something I could not achieve as a player"
Cook, who picked up 91 caps with Wales, scoring 27 goals, has signed a two-year contract, worth £6,500 a week.
MY EVENTFUL FIRST DAY AT LEEDS
The day started early with the coaches taking training, so I could have a proper chat with assistant manager Mick Jones. Micky was a great player for the club during his heyday, and, like me, couldn't resist a place on the backroom staff. We sat for around two hours in my new office, discussing tactical plans involving the players I would have at my disposal during the forthcoming season. After our tactical plans had been sorted, he insisted that I step outside and witness Robert Snodgrass in training, someone who should be seen as indispensable to our promotion chances. I got out onto the training ground just in time to see Snodders nearly decapitate our veteran goalkeeper, Maik Taylor, who the lads referred to as 'Granddad', with a stinging penalty kick. It became apparent over the course of the training session, that Robert would be essential to the first team this season. http://www.leedsunited.com/javaImages/d4/5b/0,,10273~8870868,00.jpg
Whilst the players were still training, by now training with weights in the club gym, I was summoned into the boardroom for a formal chat with the chairman Ken Bates, who I had heard Leigh Bromby refer to as 'Santa'. Over the next hour, he came across more as an old-fashioned disciplinarian, not someone who gives out parcels of joy for a living. Seated down the table were various people in suits, who were introduced to me as Shaun Harvey, Gwyn Williams (a fellow Welshman), Peter Lorimer (whose Glaswegian accent was almost indistiguishable), and the only female in the room, Yvonne Allen.
Ken and the directors offered a target of a play-off position in this year's league campaign. They were quite impressed when I upped that to a promotion challenge. I really did believe that Leeds belonged in the top league. For this target, I would be entrusted with £240,000 budget, along with a £185,000 per week wage budget, the majority of which was already going straight into the pockets of the players. I thanked the fatcats for their company, and set off back to the changing room in order to schedule my first team meeting.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/08/06/article-1300970-0AB223AB000005DC-129_468x286.jpg
As I entered the changing room I called around the playing staff, who were by now changed into their casual clothes. I introduced myself, and firstly announced that the backroom staff, who were present, would be remaining at the club in order to attain some stability. Secondly, I announced that Andy Lonergan, who had just joined the club, would be our captain for the season, with Pat Kisnorbo as our vice captain, should we need him. Just as the meeting was drawing to a close, a youth player, who I recognised as Monty Gimpel, literally fell through the changing room door, bollock naked. Turning a florescent shade of scarlet, he muttered 'Ich bedaure sehr, leiter' before scampering away down the hall in search of his trousers. With the lads in stitches, I decided to call it a day and head home, with the prospect of a make-or-break pre-season to look to. http://www.ardingly.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/thumb/Monty-Leeds.jpg
Introduction
Leeds United are one of English football biggest underachievers. The former Champions league semi-finalists currently lie in the nPower Championship, the second tier of English football. Founded in 1919, 'United', as they are known, play their home games at Elland Road, Leeds, which is a 37'697 all-seater stadium, home to some of the most vocal fans in Europe. Despite possessing top training facilities and good youth facilities, Leeds' rivals Manchester United, Galatasaray SK and Chelsea are some way up the food chain. It is up to one man to save Leeds United Football Club...
COOK TAKES CHARGE AT CRISIS CLUB LEEDS
Former Wales international Ryan Cook, 35, has today been announced as the new manager at Leeds United, replacing Neil Warnock, who was unable to bring success to the club. Cook, a former player at Leeds before injury brought his playing career to a close in 2008, had this to say, "Leeds United are a club I hold dear to my heart as my former employees. I am delighted to have another crack at seeing United promoted with my help, something I could not achieve as a player"
Cook, who picked up 91 caps with Wales, scoring 27 goals, has signed a two-year contract, worth £6,500 a week.
MY EVENTFUL FIRST DAY AT LEEDS
The day started early with the coaches taking training, so I could have a proper chat with assistant manager Mick Jones. Micky was a great player for the club during his heyday, and, like me, couldn't resist a place on the backroom staff. We sat for around two hours in my new office, discussing tactical plans involving the players I would have at my disposal during the forthcoming season. After our tactical plans had been sorted, he insisted that I step outside and witness Robert Snodgrass in training, someone who should be seen as indispensable to our promotion chances. I got out onto the training ground just in time to see Snodders nearly decapitate our veteran goalkeeper, Maik Taylor, who the lads referred to as 'Granddad', with a stinging penalty kick. It became apparent over the course of the training session, that Robert would be essential to the first team this season. http://www.leedsunited.com/javaImages/d4/5b/0,,10273~8870868,00.jpg
Whilst the players were still training, by now training with weights in the club gym, I was summoned into the boardroom for a formal chat with the chairman Ken Bates, who I had heard Leigh Bromby refer to as 'Santa'. Over the next hour, he came across more as an old-fashioned disciplinarian, not someone who gives out parcels of joy for a living. Seated down the table were various people in suits, who were introduced to me as Shaun Harvey, Gwyn Williams (a fellow Welshman), Peter Lorimer (whose Glaswegian accent was almost indistiguishable), and the only female in the room, Yvonne Allen.
Ken and the directors offered a target of a play-off position in this year's league campaign. They were quite impressed when I upped that to a promotion challenge. I really did believe that Leeds belonged in the top league. For this target, I would be entrusted with £240,000 budget, along with a £185,000 per week wage budget, the majority of which was already going straight into the pockets of the players. I thanked the fatcats for their company, and set off back to the changing room in order to schedule my first team meeting.
http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2010/08/06/article-1300970-0AB223AB000005DC-129_468x286.jpg
As I entered the changing room I called around the playing staff, who were by now changed into their casual clothes. I introduced myself, and firstly announced that the backroom staff, who were present, would be remaining at the club in order to attain some stability. Secondly, I announced that Andy Lonergan, who had just joined the club, would be our captain for the season, with Pat Kisnorbo as our vice captain, should we need him. Just as the meeting was drawing to a close, a youth player, who I recognised as Monty Gimpel, literally fell through the changing room door, bollock naked. Turning a florescent shade of scarlet, he muttered 'Ich bedaure sehr, leiter' before scampering away down the hall in search of his trousers. With the lads in stitches, I decided to call it a day and head home, with the prospect of a make-or-break pre-season to look to. http://www.ardingly.com/cmsAdmin/uploads/thumb/Monty-Leeds.jpg
