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To the surprise of everyone in the football world - especially Leeds United fans - we heard on Firday morning that fans' favourite and club manager David O'Leary had been sacked by chairman and owner Peter Ridsdale, with no real explanation or reason as to why actually given or anounced to anyone outside of Elland Road.
From what we can see, O'Leary has done absolutely nothing wrong during his 4 year reign in-charge at Elland Road. In fact, he's done so well that Leeds have finnished nowhere outside of the top 5 in the Premiership during his time in-charge - which has mysteriously come to a surprising end now. Finacial reasons often lead to a lot of managers loosing their current jobs, but I don't really see how O'Leary could've caused Leeds any real problems there. After all, Rio Ferdinand is the club's record signing at £18m, and Robbie Fowler was the only notable capture of the last season at £11m - £1m below Robbie Keane's price-tag. Then again, with all that spending Leeds haven't off-loaded an awfull lot. There has been a great deal of speculation regarding the likes of Alan Smith and Harry Kewell, and big-name summer moves. But nothing has taken a step-further from negotiations and denial and O'Leary is a man who likes to keep his Brittish squad happy and in-tact.
£18m isn't as big a fee as it used to be, but it's still a heafty amount to pay. And when you're paying that much for a player of Rio Ferdinand's capabillities, you know West Ham aren't ripping you off!
The player himself has already proven what he can do at the highest of levels in the 2002 World Cup, which has also just come to a grand finalé.
With big efforts come big rewards. And for Rio, they are in the form of outside interest from the likes of Man United, Inter Milan, and even the biggest of European teams including Real Madrid.
Selling a player of Ferdinand's calibur would be seen as 'suicide' by the Leeds fans and that is the way O'Leary saw things too - unless of course Rio wanted to go.
I bet that Peter Ridsdale was almost drouling over the bids that were coming in for him. £35m was on the table from United who were at one time favourites to nab his signature. But it all seems to have fallen apart, mainly due to O'Leary's descisions and a hidden clause that suddenly arose from the player's contract.
But if a £35m deal had been a agreed and Rio was on his way, the finances of Leeds United would be back on the secure side, leaving O'Leary free to splash out even more on more players and possibly even a replacement.
Could the failure of Rio's transfer away from Elland Road have anything to do with O'Leary's sudden departure??? I doubt it!
When you think of Leeds United you don't exactly think of success.
No, they're no Man United, and they're not even an Arsenal or Liverpool for that matter - they're just Leeds. The real reason gaffers are given access to a large number of funds is to bring-in the talent, and turn the club around into a bunch of 'somebodies' instead of just 'Leeds'.
O'Leary has never really spent big on an annula basis like Sir Alex Ferguson, but his persistance with the youth of today has got his team so-far. So-far, but not far enough. Although they have featured in an impressive Champions' League season in recent years, and have come close to the top in other European and Domestic competitions, they've never really been considered 'Title Challenging Material' of the likes of United and the Gunners.
So could this be the problem???
With so much spent over a four year period and still nothing more to show, has O'Leary eanrt the right to be sacked, despite the fans' and players' feelings towards the Irishman?
This could be the pont where the Irish nail has been hit on the head!
He may not have filled the Elland Road Trophy Cabinet with riches and silver from all-over the globe, and Elland Road may still be lost inside the shadows of Old Trafford and Anfield. But despite all that, we all know what a great manager David O'Leary was for Leeds in more ways than one.
Not only was he like a friend to the staff and father to his players, but he had a great understanding with each and every-one of them, even if he can't keep his boss entirely happy in all areas.
Many great managers see their reigns in-charge cut-short to an end for no suddenly apparent reason after their greatest times in-charge.
Remember Vialli at Cheslea!? Look at what he did for them - even if they STILL couldn't maintain a Title Challenge.
And where are they now?? Nowhere near the standards of Gianluca, and they may never get back there!
Who knows, after this O'Leary business Alex Ferguson coud be next!
After all, United went away empty-handed for yet another year, and VERY big-bucks were spent!
"Big mistake" sums up how I feel about all this.
And that like Vialli at Chelsea, no-one will be able to re-produce what David O'Leary has done to this club!
Nope, not even Martin O'Neill or Mick McCarthy.
From what we can see, O'Leary has done absolutely nothing wrong during his 4 year reign in-charge at Elland Road. In fact, he's done so well that Leeds have finnished nowhere outside of the top 5 in the Premiership during his time in-charge - which has mysteriously come to a surprising end now. Finacial reasons often lead to a lot of managers loosing their current jobs, but I don't really see how O'Leary could've caused Leeds any real problems there. After all, Rio Ferdinand is the club's record signing at £18m, and Robbie Fowler was the only notable capture of the last season at £11m - £1m below Robbie Keane's price-tag. Then again, with all that spending Leeds haven't off-loaded an awfull lot. There has been a great deal of speculation regarding the likes of Alan Smith and Harry Kewell, and big-name summer moves. But nothing has taken a step-further from negotiations and denial and O'Leary is a man who likes to keep his Brittish squad happy and in-tact.
£18m isn't as big a fee as it used to be, but it's still a heafty amount to pay. And when you're paying that much for a player of Rio Ferdinand's capabillities, you know West Ham aren't ripping you off!
The player himself has already proven what he can do at the highest of levels in the 2002 World Cup, which has also just come to a grand finalé.
With big efforts come big rewards. And for Rio, they are in the form of outside interest from the likes of Man United, Inter Milan, and even the biggest of European teams including Real Madrid.
Selling a player of Ferdinand's calibur would be seen as 'suicide' by the Leeds fans and that is the way O'Leary saw things too - unless of course Rio wanted to go.
I bet that Peter Ridsdale was almost drouling over the bids that were coming in for him. £35m was on the table from United who were at one time favourites to nab his signature. But it all seems to have fallen apart, mainly due to O'Leary's descisions and a hidden clause that suddenly arose from the player's contract.
But if a £35m deal had been a agreed and Rio was on his way, the finances of Leeds United would be back on the secure side, leaving O'Leary free to splash out even more on more players and possibly even a replacement.
Could the failure of Rio's transfer away from Elland Road have anything to do with O'Leary's sudden departure??? I doubt it!
When you think of Leeds United you don't exactly think of success.
No, they're no Man United, and they're not even an Arsenal or Liverpool for that matter - they're just Leeds. The real reason gaffers are given access to a large number of funds is to bring-in the talent, and turn the club around into a bunch of 'somebodies' instead of just 'Leeds'.
O'Leary has never really spent big on an annula basis like Sir Alex Ferguson, but his persistance with the youth of today has got his team so-far. So-far, but not far enough. Although they have featured in an impressive Champions' League season in recent years, and have come close to the top in other European and Domestic competitions, they've never really been considered 'Title Challenging Material' of the likes of United and the Gunners.
So could this be the problem???
With so much spent over a four year period and still nothing more to show, has O'Leary eanrt the right to be sacked, despite the fans' and players' feelings towards the Irishman?
This could be the pont where the Irish nail has been hit on the head!
He may not have filled the Elland Road Trophy Cabinet with riches and silver from all-over the globe, and Elland Road may still be lost inside the shadows of Old Trafford and Anfield. But despite all that, we all know what a great manager David O'Leary was for Leeds in more ways than one.
Not only was he like a friend to the staff and father to his players, but he had a great understanding with each and every-one of them, even if he can't keep his boss entirely happy in all areas.
Many great managers see their reigns in-charge cut-short to an end for no suddenly apparent reason after their greatest times in-charge.
Remember Vialli at Cheslea!? Look at what he did for them - even if they STILL couldn't maintain a Title Challenge.
And where are they now?? Nowhere near the standards of Gianluca, and they may never get back there!
Who knows, after this O'Leary business Alex Ferguson coud be next!
After all, United went away empty-handed for yet another year, and VERY big-bucks were spent!
"Big mistake" sums up how I feel about all this.
And that like Vialli at Chelsea, no-one will be able to re-produce what David O'Leary has done to this club!
Nope, not even Martin O'Neill or Mick McCarthy.
Well, that'll 'Big Mistake of the Summer: Part 2'!
Sorry, I didn't mean to say that O'Neill had been announced as THE target, it's just that I saw all that on various pages of Ceefax at the same time.
And Gus Hiddink won't take-over as he's going back to PSV.
And yes, David O'Leary has played a big part in helping the youngsters come into the first team and become stars - like a father!
If it was anyone else in-charge, then we wouldn't all know who Ian Harte and Alan Smith were, and Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink would still be there along with the likes of Ronaldinho.
Wherever he goes next, O'Leary will do a great job saving the club a good deal of money. Apparently, Parma have shown an interest...
Sorry, I didn't mean to say that O'Neill had been announced as THE target, it's just that I saw all that on various pages of Ceefax at the same time.
And Gus Hiddink won't take-over as he's going back to PSV.
And yes, David O'Leary has played a big part in helping the youngsters come into the first team and become stars - like a father!
If it was anyone else in-charge, then we wouldn't all know who Ian Harte and Alan Smith were, and Jimmy-Floyd Hasselbaink would still be there along with the likes of Ronaldinho.
Wherever he goes next, O'Leary will do a great job saving the club a good deal of money. Apparently, Parma have shown an interest...
Well Well Well....
The summer sales at Leeds have already started with them agreeing a fee with Sunderland for Robbie Keane...
The summer sales at Leeds have already started with them agreeing a fee with Sunderland for Robbie Keane...
O'Leary was good, but he wasn't *that* good. A lot of Leed's success is owed to the players coming through the youth academy, which was put together by whom?
Solskjær wrote:
> And also, Leeds' Directors have said that Martin O'Neill is THE man
> that they want to replace him! I heard that on the radio earlier -
> tell us something we don't know...
All the directors have confirmed is that they have decided on the candidate they want for the job. They havnt actually revealed who it is...
> And also, Leeds' Directors have said that Martin O'Neill is THE man
> that they want to replace him! I heard that on the radio earlier -
> tell us something we don't know...
All the directors have confirmed is that they have decided on the candidate they want for the job. They havnt actually revealed who it is...
I agree that it has been totally rediculous, just like the Chelsea incidents envloving Gullit and especially Vialli!
Ken Bates caused the problems then, and it was Ridsdale this time round - it's always the Chairmen!!
Chairmen ruin everything - they treat the men they trust with their own money like dirt, even if they've done a good job!
Once again this proves that they're only after their own profit!!
O'Leary should've been given a lot more time - and they'd stand a much better chance of winning the Title this year with United's transfer problems and the whole's in Arsenal's defence.
And also, Leeds' Directors have said that Martin O'Neill is THE man that they want to replace him! I heard that on the radio earlier - tell us something we don't know...
Ken Bates caused the problems then, and it was Ridsdale this time round - it's always the Chairmen!!
Chairmen ruin everything - they treat the men they trust with their own money like dirt, even if they've done a good job!
Once again this proves that they're only after their own profit!!
O'Leary should've been given a lot more time - and they'd stand a much better chance of winning the Title this year with United's transfer problems and the whole's in Arsenal's defence.
And also, Leeds' Directors have said that Martin O'Neill is THE man that they want to replace him! I heard that on the radio earlier - tell us something we don't know...
The whole thing has just been ridiculous. Leeds should at least have given one reason for sacking him and I am sure that we will find out the truth sooner or later. I think that it is Peter Risdale's fault that they are in debts as he should have said before that players must be sold before new players are bought. David O'Leary was just trying to make a good squad and didn't want to sell unless necessary.
It is nearly worse than the old Chelsea fiasco.Ruud Gullit getting the chop because of wage demands and then Vialli, who was the most successful Chelsea manager ever winning the F.A cup, League cup and the cup winners cup in two years then being sacked for reasons I don't remember.
I think that Risdale dug his own hole and pushed O'Leary into it.
It is nearly worse than the old Chelsea fiasco.Ruud Gullit getting the chop because of wage demands and then Vialli, who was the most successful Chelsea manager ever winning the F.A cup, League cup and the cup winners cup in two years then being sacked for reasons I don't remember.
I think that Risdale dug his own hole and pushed O'Leary into it.
To the surprise of everyone in the football world - especially Leeds United fans - we heard on Firday morning that fans' favourite and club manager David O'Leary had been sacked by chairman and owner Peter Ridsdale, with no real explanation or reason as to why actually given or anounced to anyone outside of Elland Road.
From what we can see, O'Leary has done absolutely nothing wrong during his 4 year reign in-charge at Elland Road. In fact, he's done so well that Leeds have finnished nowhere outside of the top 5 in the Premiership during his time in-charge - which has mysteriously come to a surprising end now. Finacial reasons often lead to a lot of managers loosing their current jobs, but I don't really see how O'Leary could've caused Leeds any real problems there. After all, Rio Ferdinand is the club's record signing at £18m, and Robbie Fowler was the only notable capture of the last season at £11m - £1m below Robbie Keane's price-tag. Then again, with all that spending Leeds haven't off-loaded an awfull lot. There has been a great deal of speculation regarding the likes of Alan Smith and Harry Kewell, and big-name summer moves. But nothing has taken a step-further from negotiations and denial and O'Leary is a man who likes to keep his Brittish squad happy and in-tact.
£18m isn't as big a fee as it used to be, but it's still a heafty amount to pay. And when you're paying that much for a player of Rio Ferdinand's capabillities, you know West Ham aren't ripping you off!
The player himself has already proven what he can do at the highest of levels in the 2002 World Cup, which has also just come to a grand finalé.
With big efforts come big rewards. And for Rio, they are in the form of outside interest from the likes of Man United, Inter Milan, and even the biggest of European teams including Real Madrid.
Selling a player of Ferdinand's calibur would be seen as 'suicide' by the Leeds fans and that is the way O'Leary saw things too - unless of course Rio wanted to go.
I bet that Peter Ridsdale was almost drouling over the bids that were coming in for him. £35m was on the table from United who were at one time favourites to nab his signature. But it all seems to have fallen apart, mainly due to O'Leary's descisions and a hidden clause that suddenly arose from the player's contract.
But if a £35m deal had been a agreed and Rio was on his way, the finances of Leeds United would be back on the secure side, leaving O'Leary free to splash out even more on more players and possibly even a replacement.
Could the failure of Rio's transfer away from Elland Road have anything to do with O'Leary's sudden departure??? I doubt it!
When you think of Leeds United you don't exactly think of success.
No, they're no Man United, and they're not even an Arsenal or Liverpool for that matter - they're just Leeds. The real reason gaffers are given access to a large number of funds is to bring-in the talent, and turn the club around into a bunch of 'somebodies' instead of just 'Leeds'.
O'Leary has never really spent big on an annula basis like Sir Alex Ferguson, but his persistance with the youth of today has got his team so-far. So-far, but not far enough. Although they have featured in an impressive Champions' League season in recent years, and have come close to the top in other European and Domestic competitions, they've never really been considered 'Title Challenging Material' of the likes of United and the Gunners.
So could this be the problem???
With so much spent over a four year period and still nothing more to show, has O'Leary eanrt the right to be sacked, despite the fans' and players' feelings towards the Irishman?
This could be the pont where the Irish nail has been hit on the head!
He may not have filled the Elland Road Trophy Cabinet with riches and silver from all-over the globe, and Elland Road may still be lost inside the shadows of Old Trafford and Anfield. But despite all that, we all know what a great manager David O'Leary was for Leeds in more ways than one.
Not only was he like a friend to the staff and father to his players, but he had a great understanding with each and every-one of them, even if he can't keep his boss entirely happy in all areas.
Many great managers see their reigns in-charge cut-short to an end for no suddenly apparent reason after their greatest times in-charge.
Remember Vialli at Cheslea!? Look at what he did for them - even if they STILL couldn't maintain a Title Challenge.
And where are they now?? Nowhere near the standards of Gianluca, and they may never get back there!
Who knows, after this O'Leary business Alex Ferguson coud be next!
After all, United went away empty-handed for yet another year, and VERY big-bucks were spent!
"Big mistake" sums up how I feel about all this.
And that like Vialli at Chelsea, no-one will be able to re-produce what David O'Leary has done to this club!
Nope, not even Martin O'Neill or Mick McCarthy.
From what we can see, O'Leary has done absolutely nothing wrong during his 4 year reign in-charge at Elland Road. In fact, he's done so well that Leeds have finnished nowhere outside of the top 5 in the Premiership during his time in-charge - which has mysteriously come to a surprising end now. Finacial reasons often lead to a lot of managers loosing their current jobs, but I don't really see how O'Leary could've caused Leeds any real problems there. After all, Rio Ferdinand is the club's record signing at £18m, and Robbie Fowler was the only notable capture of the last season at £11m - £1m below Robbie Keane's price-tag. Then again, with all that spending Leeds haven't off-loaded an awfull lot. There has been a great deal of speculation regarding the likes of Alan Smith and Harry Kewell, and big-name summer moves. But nothing has taken a step-further from negotiations and denial and O'Leary is a man who likes to keep his Brittish squad happy and in-tact.
£18m isn't as big a fee as it used to be, but it's still a heafty amount to pay. And when you're paying that much for a player of Rio Ferdinand's capabillities, you know West Ham aren't ripping you off!
The player himself has already proven what he can do at the highest of levels in the 2002 World Cup, which has also just come to a grand finalé.
With big efforts come big rewards. And for Rio, they are in the form of outside interest from the likes of Man United, Inter Milan, and even the biggest of European teams including Real Madrid.
Selling a player of Ferdinand's calibur would be seen as 'suicide' by the Leeds fans and that is the way O'Leary saw things too - unless of course Rio wanted to go.
I bet that Peter Ridsdale was almost drouling over the bids that were coming in for him. £35m was on the table from United who were at one time favourites to nab his signature. But it all seems to have fallen apart, mainly due to O'Leary's descisions and a hidden clause that suddenly arose from the player's contract.
But if a £35m deal had been a agreed and Rio was on his way, the finances of Leeds United would be back on the secure side, leaving O'Leary free to splash out even more on more players and possibly even a replacement.
Could the failure of Rio's transfer away from Elland Road have anything to do with O'Leary's sudden departure??? I doubt it!
When you think of Leeds United you don't exactly think of success.
No, they're no Man United, and they're not even an Arsenal or Liverpool for that matter - they're just Leeds. The real reason gaffers are given access to a large number of funds is to bring-in the talent, and turn the club around into a bunch of 'somebodies' instead of just 'Leeds'.
O'Leary has never really spent big on an annula basis like Sir Alex Ferguson, but his persistance with the youth of today has got his team so-far. So-far, but not far enough. Although they have featured in an impressive Champions' League season in recent years, and have come close to the top in other European and Domestic competitions, they've never really been considered 'Title Challenging Material' of the likes of United and the Gunners.
So could this be the problem???
With so much spent over a four year period and still nothing more to show, has O'Leary eanrt the right to be sacked, despite the fans' and players' feelings towards the Irishman?
This could be the pont where the Irish nail has been hit on the head!
He may not have filled the Elland Road Trophy Cabinet with riches and silver from all-over the globe, and Elland Road may still be lost inside the shadows of Old Trafford and Anfield. But despite all that, we all know what a great manager David O'Leary was for Leeds in more ways than one.
Not only was he like a friend to the staff and father to his players, but he had a great understanding with each and every-one of them, even if he can't keep his boss entirely happy in all areas.
Many great managers see their reigns in-charge cut-short to an end for no suddenly apparent reason after their greatest times in-charge.
Remember Vialli at Cheslea!? Look at what he did for them - even if they STILL couldn't maintain a Title Challenge.
And where are they now?? Nowhere near the standards of Gianluca, and they may never get back there!
Who knows, after this O'Leary business Alex Ferguson coud be next!
After all, United went away empty-handed for yet another year, and VERY big-bucks were spent!
"Big mistake" sums up how I feel about all this.
And that like Vialli at Chelsea, no-one will be able to re-produce what David O'Leary has done to this club!
Nope, not even Martin O'Neill or Mick McCarthy.