Protecting LUFC values or get-rich-quick? The Manchester City debate

For as long I can remember, there have been desperate pleas from Leeds fans everywhere aimed at the various owners for more financial backing to push the team towards the achievable goals of that time. Whether a push to maintain our position in European football or to get out of the seemingly bottomless pit that is the Football League, fans everywhere seem to pin all hopes on financial impetus. It is undeniable that the world of football is becoming dominated by the rich, leaving the rest of us behind, wondering why business tycoons are not locked in a bidding war over the rights to Leeds United. As the prospective Cellino takeover spreads into yet another week, we at @LUFC_Calypso ask an important question: would Leeds fans accept a detachment from the history, heritage and values of our club in favour of success through shady financial injections?

Sheikh Mansour and Roman Abramovich of Manchester City and Chelsea respectively are just two examples of unhealthily rich, football-ignorant owners who have taken the helm at two of the world’s biggest and richest clubs. They have brought undeniable success, but it is irrefutable that the images of these two powerhouses of Europe have undertaken wholesale changes, and the clubs we know today are completely distinct from the Chelsea and Manchester City of old. To those not old enough to experience the pre-billionaire Chelsea or Manchester City, I’m sure this is of no huge concern, with the gluttony of the board room resulting in footballing success, yet it is worth considering those who have supported these clubs in previous generations. They have seen seasons come and go and ups and downs pass with ecstasy and despair in equal measure, only for that wealth of heritage to be completely destroyed in favour of a financial overhaul. It seems that the cost of success is not merely limited to money.

Analysis of the Manchester City model and adapting it to Leeds United makes an interesting debate. From Ridsdale to Bates, GFH Capital to Cellino, Leeds fans have experienced their fair share of agony, purely down to the financial meltdowns and frugal ownerships of the past. However, it cannot be forgotten that Leeds United is an English football institution, possessing a reputation that engenders adoration from its fans and respect from its enemies. From the golden years of Revie and Bremner to the modern day bastions of Radebe, Speed and Strachan, Leeds United has an identity that we would not swap for any amount of money. With that in mind, I am less than convinced that the fast approaching ‘Cellino years’ will be anything more than a minor blip in our otherwise illustrious heritage.

Make no mistake; we are keen to see a wealthy owner walk through the doors of Elland Road. We must be careful what we wish for, however, and until a sustainable owner is in charge, this farcical takeover merry-go-round will continue to heap financial peril upon us. The examples set by Bill Kenwright (Everton) and Dave Whelan (Wigan) prove that it is possible for those holding the money to gain the respect of those in the dugout, on the field and in the stands while sticking to a sustainable business model. This is what we need. It is absolutely imperative that the club identity is not sacrificed for financial gain. Before we welcome any-old tyrant into our club, we must consider the consequences it may have on our history. We’re All Leeds Aren’t We.

What is your view on Cellino? Do you think his takeover will damage the Leeds United reputation? As always, we welcome your thoughts – tweet us at @LUFC_Calypso!

5 reasons LUFC should keep Brian McDermott

The soap opera-like drama of the last few weeks has left the majority of Leeds United fans thanking their lucky stars that Brian McDermott remains at the helm of the club, at least for now. Whilst our club has only made further dents into our far from impeccable reputation, McDermott has held himself together quite brilliantly, showing the sporting world the consummate professional that he is. We at @LUFC_Calypso feel that it is vitally important that he remains at the club for the remainder of this season and for the start of the next, and have offered up 5 reasons as to why this is so important for our future.

1)      He loves the club

One of McDermott’s more appealing qualities is his loyalty. With a number of high profile managers in the modern game finding themselves changing clubs like they change their clothes, McDermott has shown through his time at Reading that, if the club is right, he will give his all for the club and their fans. This is no different with us, and his love for the club and more notably the fans is something that we should not turn our backs on. The mutual respect between him and the fans has not always been shared with previous managers, and this should not be taken for granted. The clear emotion he showed in his press conference says it all – he’s Leeds and he knows he is.

2)      His scouting background makes him the perfect man to rebuild our squad

Although many have been quick to criticise McDermott in the two transfer windows for which he’s been in charge, there is no doubt that with our squad needing serious rebuilding, there aren’t many more equipped to undergo such a challenge. With perhaps Noel Hunt being the odd-one-out, McDermott’s permanent signings have been young, prospective talents who will ultimately prove to be good acquisitions and, in stark contrast to Warnock, there can’t be too many complaints. In addition to this, with his hands clearly tied behind his back in January, McDermott has handled it better than many would. McDermott must be given the opportunity to weed out the deadwood players and replace them with more forward thinking players. This is all dependent on the never-ending takeover scandal being resolved, but the least he deserves is a fair crack at a transfer window with some money to spend.

3)      He wants to play a style of football that pleases the fans

Despite the occasional incident of referring back to Warnock’s hoof-ball values, it is clear to see that McDermott is trying to play football the way that almost all the fans would like us to be playing. Passing the ball on the floor was unheard of during the Warnock era, yet McDermott is gradually emphasising that we have to play that way to achieve success. Whether the current players have the ability to play that way consistently remains to be seen.  The personnel can be changed, but we need a tactical and technical framework to build upon. Brian offers us that.

4)      He is a consummate professional

Although the touchline antics of the Di Canios of this world are intensely entertaining from the outside, it must be difficult to hold any kind of respect for a manager who seems to have no respect for the game. Again, many criticise McDermott for being ‘too nice’, yet I see no problem with the manager of a football club maintaining a sense of dignity in the face of the press and the footballing world. None of us know what goes on behind closed doors, and the fact that he has the full support of the dressing room means he’s doing something right. Letting your football do the talking, or at least trying, is an enviable quality.

5)      He knows how to get out of this division

McDermott clearly possesses the formula that must be adopted in order to get out of this division, and turning our backs on a man who clearly knows how it’s done would be naïve to say the least. Although placing our faith in promotion specialists hasn’t succeeded in the past, McDermott is still hungry for success, something that cannot be said for Neil Warnock upon appointment at our club. It is undeniable that a change in management does work in certain circumstances, yet it is crucial that Brian is given the opportunity to see his 3-year-plan through.

Whether or not Massimo Cellino, GFH Capital or Together Leeds end up owning our club, the fate of McDermott as a long term manager at the club is far from certain, yet we strongly believe that we have the right man in charge currently, and we must keep it that way. Marching on Together. Do you think McDermott is doing a good job? Do you think he will keep his job until the end of the season? As always, let us know your thoughts by tweeting us at @LUFC_Calypso!

Remaining ‘in the hunt’ for the play-offs: what do we need to do?

The last two weeks of my life as a Leeds United fan have been possibly the most frustrating since our last flirtation with financial turmoil. Credit must go to GFH who have, against the odds, trumped relegations, play-off final defeats and Bates-induced fits of rage to earn their place at the top of a long list of Leeds United low points. There has been frenzied media coverage of the chaos at Elland Road in recent times, and our sincere thanks go to @PhilHayYEP and @APOPEY for their attempts to keep the fans informed. This week at @LUFC_Calypso, we thought we would put the takeover madness to one side and focus on what really matters – the football. Can we still hope to sneak into the play-offs or should we consolidate for next season? Can McDermott rally the troops given the uncertainty surrounding his position? Brian has repeatedly stated that Leeds must be ‘in the hunt’ with 10 games to go, so we take a look at our next 7 games and what needs to be done to ensure this is the case.

The Championship tables for the last six seasons make very interesting viewing. The required points tally for 6^th place is generally getting lower and 68 points, the lowest tally since the Championship’s inception, was enough last year to take Palace into the play-offs. The average for the last six seasons has been 72 points, 30 more than we currently have with 17 games to go, and so the focus must be on securing as much as possible from the next 7 fixtures. The last 10 games are notoriously unreliable; clubs struggling for survival can take points from those further up the division and consequently a run of wins before Easter can push a team from mid-table obscurity to promotion favourites. Now more than ever is the time when momentum, good or bad, can swell to feverish proportions and as fans we must play our part in creating this buzz. McDermott is undoubtedly the perfect man to engender this spirit within our players, shown by Reading’s run of 8 wins to lift them from mid-table to Champions two years ago. There are a plethora of ifs involved in such an ascent but, if Ross keeps scoring, if the takeover is completed and if McDermott can keep his job then positivity may break out and 18-20 points from the last 10 games could become a realistic target.

That leaves the next 7 games. Between now and 22^nd March, we play Brighton (A), Middlesbrough (A), QPR (A), Bolton (H), Reading (H), Burnley (A) and Millwall (H). Crucially, 5 of these 7 games are against top 12 opposition, and any aspirations of a top 6 place rest on our success against those around us. Our away form has been notoriously bad the last 2 seasons (perhaps the players struggle without a throng of Yorkshire noise behind them) and so particular importance rests on the home fixture against Reading, a team that currently rests in the coveted 6^th spot. Victory in this fixture, a point from each of the difficult top 12 clashes and at least one win against Bolton and Millwall is absolutely essential. McDermott knows Reading better than most others, and the mouth salivates at the dream of the ‘Oh Brian McDermott’ chant in full swing as we run riot against the last team to give Brian the boot.

Whatever the outcome of the next 7 games, we need to find a consistency in performance that has been lacking thus far this season. There have been times when our displays have matched those of Leicester, QPR or any other team with genuine promotion hopes, but all too often we have buckled to less formidable opponents. We are confident that consistency in the next 7 games will leave us in a position to challenge and who knows, the run-in could be every bit as nail-biting as the takeover tension we’re consumed with at the moment.

Do you think Leeds United can make the top 6? Which games do you consider the ‘must-wins’ over the next 6 weeks? As always, we love to hear your thoughts and comments – tweet us at @LUFC_Calypso.

TOMA: Another season taken over by board room battles

Much to the bemusement and fury of all Leeds United fans, we once again find ourselves embroiled in a tedious navigation through takeover rumours, inevitable set-backs and twitter frenzies. Over the last week, it seems that the only people who are not tweeting frantically about LUFC are those who we need to the most – the board. Leeds fans are fully prepared for the pain and frustration that predictably follows an ‘imminent takeover’ announcement from the club and, as with last season’s takeover turmoil, we all must sift through tiresome tirades of PR rubbish and wishy-washy comments from those involved. However, the abomination that has taken place over the last few weeks has miraculously exceeded the embarrassment and annoyance from GFH’s lengthy takeover, with journalists and gossip columnists rubbing salt into the long-standing wounds of the Leeds United faithful. What’s more, ‘The Ross McCormack transfer saga part 2’ has made the last 7 days incredibly difficult. We at @LUFC_Calypso felt it best to take on the monumental task of trying to unearth the details of this chaotic state of affairs, whilst also looking at the damage it has caused to our club in a number of areas.

The reoccurrence of such a disastrous mess has yet again proven to be costly in terms of the January transfer window. Once more, it seems that early promise will slip away without great success. This assertion may seem harsh given the arrivals of Cameron Stewart and Jimmy Kebe, yet it is becoming more and more apparent that money talks in the modern game. As another window passes without credible investment, we certainly feel that yet more opportunities have been missed and our promotion hopes hang in the balance. McDermott has made it very clear that he likes to get his work in the window done early, indication that we won’t be seeing a Sky Sports reporter stationed outside Elland Rd come Deadline Day. Not only this, but it appears that securing the services of a current player will be the biggest success of the transfer period. Make no mistake; holding on to Ross McCormack would be massively important should we be able to, but instead of making progress, the executive management will celebrate this avoidance of regression as a victory rather than as the minimum requirement that it should be.

The takeover has also proven to be a massive distraction to the current squad. Excluding the improvements we saw in defeat against Premier League-destined Leicester City, the performances and results since the announcement of the proposed takeover have reached an unprecedented low. The players may say that it hasn’t had an impact on their performances, but that is simply not true. McDermott has used every press conference to highlight the importance of sorting out the debacle that is happening off the field, and until it is sorted we do not envisage a return to the promising form that we were in a few weeks back.

Any attempts to decipher the details of this fiasco are near enough impossible as Haigh, Patel and co have performed their negotiations in complete secrecy. Rumours about Sport Capital, Cellino and his cronies are rife, and consequently the short and long term futures of the club, the players and the manager are far from clear. With the story taking significant plot twists on a daily basis, it appears that nobody knows what’s going on, and the impatient (and rightly so) fans continue to demand answers - clarity is all that is required to ease the growing sense of anger among the fans. Such is the variety of the names that have been bounded around (Flowers, Cellino, Virdee, Farnan and more), most fans would settle for any sense of direction at this stage. Having said this, the prospect of Cellino at the helm of our club terrifies us, with reports from Italy mostly highlighting his barbaric approach to running the show from the boardroom.

What has been clarified is that unless this mess is cleaned up by someone, the club will continue to tank on and off the field. Yet again, the red mist is descending and the outlook is bleak to say the least. Where we go from here is still in our own hands, but something needs to happen, and happen now.

What are your opinions on the takeover? Have Haigh and Patel undone all their good work by keeping the fans in the dark at such a crucial time? As always, please let us know your news, views and blues by tweeting us at @LUFC_Calypso!

5 moments that define Leeds United as we know it today

The fans of Leeds United have been subjected to more exhilarating highs and miserable lows than most other clubs in British footballing history. The latest cohort of football fanatics view Leeds United as perennial Championship nearly-men with a vociferous fan base that believe they deserve bigger and better. To many, the view taken by the ‘vile animals’ that Leeds are languishing far below their station is nonsensical; it is 10 years since we have graced the Premier League and, to this youthful generation, forays into Europe and Premier League title bids are myth rather than memory. This got us at @LUFC_Calypso thinking; what are the moments that define our club? What are the key moments in the club’s history that should sculpt all fans’ view of LUFC?

Revie vs Clough

Every Leeds fan knows the glory years of Revie, Bremner and co. Under the management of the Don, Leeds conquered England with 1^st division victories, a famous FA Cup triumph against Arsenal thanks to ‘Sniffer’ Clark’s iconic header, a League Cup and a Fairs Cup. Our reputation as a combative and tough-tackling outfit known for their aggression as much as their flair was born, but crucially the club did not capitalise on their dominance. For all our style, this great Leeds team was in part overshadowed by Brian Clough’s constant attacks (brandishing the Leeds team as ‘cheats’ in August 1973), his great rivalry with Revie and the success of his Forest team in Europe that followed his 44 day tenure at Leeds. Without doubt, this period formed the opinion of Leeds fans that it is us against the world, and from that day fans thrived on the hatred that this team engendered in fans across the UK.

‘We are Champions, Champions of Europe!’

16 May 1973. 28 May 1975. These two dates haunt Leeds fans to this day and are the reason for our favourite half-time chant. Neither Christos Michas, the man responsible for some baffling decisions against Leeds during their Cup Winners’ Cup defeat to Milan, or Michel Kitabdjian, an official so weak that he overturned his decision following player protest from Munich, ever refereed a game again. Ever since, Leeds fans have felt (and rightly so) that some key decisions have gone against us, but anyone that questions our reputation the most passionate fan base need look no further than the rioting that followed the 1975 Final.

Division One Champions

In the season before the birth of the Premier League, greats such as Strachan, Speed and McAllister (and Chris Kamara!) reached the summit of the English football leagues after a pulsating campaign. Success was all the sweeter given the rival teams placed just below us – Manchester United and Sheffield Wednesday. To our younger fans, Leeds winning the top league is almost as ridiculous as a top division that includes both Sheffield teams, Oldham and Luton, but the victory under Wilkinson in that season should be cherished by all fans.

‘Doing a Leeds’

In typical Leeds fashion, all highs are tempered with some disastrous lows and, within 6 years of a Champions League semi-final and an incredible array of stars on our books, Leeds entered administration and the third tier of English football for the first time. The crisis, caused by a spending rise of £101 million that was dependent on successive Champions League qualifications, has all but shaped the way the club is run today. For all the frustration sparked by lacking investment by subsequent owners, there is no doubt that the decisions taken by Peter Ridsdale have stunted, and will continue to stunt our progress for many years. Such was the debt accrued by the board, uncontrolled overspending by clubs will forever be known as ‘doing a Leeds’.

8^th May 2010

This date defines the club as we see it today – a Championship side that are punching below their weight. But, crucially, this date should be remembered as the day the club turned a corner, halted the stagnation and made the first of many long steps towards where we all feel we belong. Our time in the Championship has seen flashes of magic eclipsed by off-field reshuffles, ageing changing rooms and ‘hoofball’ tactics, but there is not a Leeds fan out there that misses the League One away days at the likes of Hereford, Gillingham and Wycombe. Promotion from the third tier should have sparked our surge up the leagues and, though our optimism has been stifled by successive disappointments in the UK’s secondary division, we are confident that it is not long before we experience another day like this.

What are your defining LUFC moments? What events have shaped the way that you view our club? As always, tweet us at @LUFC_Calypso and let us know your thoughts, comments and experiences!

Did that really happen? The Sheffield Wednesday Nightmare

I think we speak for Leeds United fans across the globe when we say that the monstrosity of Saturday lunchtime was one of the most embarrassing moments in our history. Losing 6-0 to anybody is embarrassing enough, but a thrashing from a local rival leaves an exceptionally bitter taste in the mouth. The manner of the capitulation, a spineless performance devoid of talent from start to finish, is a serious cause for concern. However painful it may be to do so, we at @LUFC_Calypso try to dissect the weekend’s car-crash performance at Hillsborough, looking at why it was such a horrific display and what can be done to fix it. For those after another one of our optimistic, upbeat articles, it’s time to look away. This could get ugly.

As much as we’ve supported his appointment and decision making without fail since his appointment, Brian McDermott got this one wrong. The formation chosen simply didn’t make sense never mind suit our fairly inflexible squad. With the arrival of 2 flying wingers, it seems completely illogical to leave our target man in Matt Smith on the bench. Bringing him on at HT (albeit for 47 seconds) is fine but this was a game in which we had a chance to make a statement and banish our away-day demons. Unfortunately, Brian did just the opposite. Furthermore, despite Rodolph Austin role as Leeds United captain this season, it has become blatantly obvious that he’s drained of energy, so playing him for another 90 minutes was clueless. He needs a break to get himself back to his best, and not just physically.

This brings us on to our secondary criticism. The overwhelming sense of pride that should come from pulling on the white, or in this case gold, shirt is simply non-existent within almost all of the players. Only a select few of those picked for big games this season have demonstrated a determination, integrity and passion that are required to grind out difficult results. Twitter apologies appease the less ardent among us, and in a way that is nice to see, but one thing is for sure: those apologies will mean nothing unless notable changes are made on the pitch. Zaliukas was systematically humiliated by the up-and-coming starlets of the division; one struggles to imagine the level of humiliation had a team of more accomplished attacking players been unleashed upon him and some of his flagging colleagues. If Caolan Lavery, a striker with 3 professional goals to his name before this weekend, can embarrass our defence in such a manner, what lays in store for us against opposition with Premier League pedigree in their front line? A change is needed. Fast.

With the exception of Jason Pearce and Ross McCormack, most of the players seem to have lost a sense of perspective. Through the removal of former player and utter buffoon Ryan Hall, McDermott sent the message that if their attitude does not match that of the club, their future will be put in jeopardy. A team meeting was held on Sunday to give the players a sincere and vigorous rebuking (we hope), and we feel that McDermott has gone about this shambolic result in the right way. The Leicester game will be absolutely crucial for him and the players. Although the result is obviously important, I think that the performance is of far greater significance; if a further annihilation takes place at Elland Rd on Saturday, I feel that things will become very dark indeed for Leeds fans.

What are your opinions on the Sheffield game? Do you believe McDermott is to blame? How do you feel we need to change? As always, tweet us at @LUFC_Calypso to let us know your thoughts!

Stopping the rot at LUFC: How can we save our season?

As is customary for Leeds sides of the past, the systematic meltdown this time of year is upon us, made even clearer from our embarrassing defeat at League Two side Rochdale. With this defeat, as well as those to Nottingham Forest and Blackburn, United are showing all the tell-tale signs of petering out into form worthy of a mid-table finish… or worse. Having said this, we at LUFC_Calypso have decided that, after a fairly miserable week, a more positive spin needs to be taken. We decided to look at what has to be done to return to the golden chalice that is the play-off spots rather than watching our season derail yet again.

It is undeniable that work has to be done in the transfer window. McDermott made it crystal clear that he is well aware of the importance of new recruits in the January window and, with funds made available to him, I would be surprised to see this window come and go without significant attempts to bolster the squad. With the signing of Hull City winger Cameron Stewart seeming more and more likely, Brian appears to be taking the first step in utilising the window to consolidate our fairly promising position. A whole host of names are linked with our club once again, and though this phenomenon normally comes to nothing other than frustration and frenzied twitter rants, it is clear that the signing of Stewart would not be the end of McDermott’s shopping spree. The message seems to be clear – watch this space.

Secondly, tactical changes need to be made to the current squad, regardless of signings. Much to the despair of the vast majority of the Leeds faithful, it appears that we have relapsed to Warnock’s hoofball tactics, lumping the ball long to Matt Smith and hoping for the best. Our most favourable run of results came when we were playing our most aesthetically pleasing passing game, and a return to that style is crucial to our success. Also on the subject of tactics, our midfield is bypassed on every outing, even by the under-developed midfield of League Two Rochdale. Austin looks a shadow of his former self, and many are considering Luke Murphy to be falling short of his £1 million price tag. Although currently our alternatives are clearly short of the mark, either the current personnel need to up their game or replacements must be sourced from elsewhere. Regardless of Austin’s fall from grace and the disappointment of Murphy, there is one sentiment that unites all Leeds fans – Michael Brown is NOT the answer.

Finally, although current form does not exactly give the average Leeds fan any cause for celebration, it is absolutely integral to our success for the club that the fans remain totally behind the club from top to bottom. Although at times it is important for fans to show their distaste for results or style of play, getting on their backs in the long term will hardly make things better, particularly at home. Elland Rd was at times akin to the fortress of old this season, and a happy stadium makes all the difference for those battling it out on the field for the badge. With minor tweaking, we’re not a million miles away, and we still sitting a point off the play-offs. At times like these, we hope fans are able to hold onto the mantra that binds us; win or lose, we are marching on together.