Are Leeds United safe in Cellino's hands?

Article by Gwyn Hughes

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Now that the season is over (and thank Christ for that!) Leeds United fans can look forward to a more exciting summer than usual. Mind you, previous summer activity at Elland Road haven't been THAT exciting have they? But with Massimo Cellino now fully installed as owner, we have a definite sense of that very rare feeling called optimism breaking out. Because Leeds have been in such a state (one that has proved to be much worse than first thought) there has been an expectation that Cellino will splash the cash this summer and get the star names that the club wants its fans to enjoy watching week in, week out. But do we have such an owner? Is he as reckless with his money as he is as passionate about his football?

I heard Cellino's interview on Radio Leeds and I was pleased with what I heard. I don't know about anybody else but what I sensed was the voice of an experienced football man as well as an astute businessman. No wild spending on top players and no more extravagant spending as if we were already a designated Premier League football club. We are not, but we must earn the right to be one again. Cellino's feet are firmly rooted to the ground and so should ours be. There is an expensive way to kick start Leeds into the big time and a sensible one. Since taking over Leeds, Cellino appears to favour the latter route, preferring steady growth and building a solid foundation, rather than an expensive quick fix and running out of resources if it goes wrong again. We've been down that road and it didn't end well.

He seems to be giving Brian McDermott some breathing space and I am of the opinion that he should be given next season to show us how good a coach he can be. He deserves a proper chance to manage Leeds with the players he feels can do well for the club. The turmoil of last season effectively stopped everyone connected with the club from functioning normally, and I don't think he deserves to be sacked because of circumstances that were clearly beyond his control. Cellino's leniency has surprised me but also enlightened me that our owner isn't a one dimensional man, but someone who can see sense, a rare attribute to find in football club owners these days.

Some will argue that McDermott brought in players who did not perform well for the club. I would hazard a guess that his list of targets last year were based on what GFH Capital were prepared to invest, and some of those targets were turned down by them, for instance, Ashley Barnes, who went on to Burnley and will play Premier League football next season. Those that he did get in were the best their money could buy, and seemed genuinely overwhelmed with what they found at Leeds. It was depressing for us, but equally a distressing environment for the players.

But under Cellino he will be able to target players on a slightly higher level. I have also seen slight improvements lately with the players' performances. This may be the consequences of stability finally becoming a reality at Leeds. I thought they played well against Derby, though I have to admit that County looked a bit lethargic and not up to their usual tempo. But we do look like a team that could do with an injection of youth and pace and hunger, and at the moment our crop of players seem to lack anticipation and alertness which makes such a difference to a team.

There is no evidence to suggest that our new owner will act as impulsive as he did on that crazy January night. Then, he was prepared to sweep away all the existent elements that had made up the club and install new ones, including the management staff, in their place. Yes we were not happy with the way the club was run and deep down probably wanted someone to grab the situation by the scruff of the neck, but it got us all a little scared and more than a little angry at this Italian whirlwind who appeared to be threatening to change the very identity of the club. Now, it seems that the whirlwind has calmed down to the level of a gentle breeze. The changes he is proposing are of a more structured, even relaxed, mode. He has suddenly realised what he has taken on! He has realised that if he isn't careful, he could lose a lot of his fortune on Leeds if he got it wrong. I welcome his cautious assessment and see this as a sign that he cares about Leeds United.

He talked about cutting back the cost of running the club and I'm sure he had a bit of a wake-up call how Leeds was run before he came. I am glad that he is not prepared to splash out on big signings. This would need a big outlay on his part, and he is clearly not a man who throws away money like some other club owners are prone to doing. He wants to find young, hungry talent who are prepared to play their hearts out for the shirt and for a reasonable wage. Isn't this what we have always wanted at Leeds? Not to pander to the reputation of those with past glories (some not even that) who demand that they are paid over what they are prepared to give for the club? These young players will have to prove that they are worthy of increased wages when they have deserved it. That is the right way of controlling a club.

He sounds like he conducts his business in his own way and he should be allowed to get on with it. It's worked before, the blueprint was tried at Cagliari and it worked there. When I hear what other club owners get up to I think we are in very good hands. Others have demonstrated their lack of experience and knowledge and are true novices in the art of running an British football club. They think that they are immune to failure because they have been successful in their chosen fields of industry. But when they try at football they suck spectacularly! Arrogance has been the architect of their downfall. I think on the evidence we have potential the best owner in the league.

He sounds like he's the kind of person who falls in love very quickly, and I hear his amore for Leeds when he speaks. He has become one of us in a very short while.

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