Milanic Needs to Learn Fast From The Brentford Defeat

Article by Gwyn Hughes

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A very long time ago I decided to take on an extra job to help out with my new commitments. I had recently got married and within a couple of years we had a son to take care of. So on a mild summer night in 1992 I started bar tending at a hotel in Chester. Unluckily for me, at the time, it just happened to be the weekly Karaoke night!

It was a tough introduction, as you can imagine. Trying to learn what the drinks were, where they were located, trying to find my way around the till and so on. The evening went flying by and I was soon walking home back to my young family content that I had earned some extra cash for them.

This memory was triggered as I began reflecting after Leeds were beaten comprehensively by Brentford yesterday. I wondered if our new manager of a few days felt that he had been thrown into the deep end as I had all those years ago. With Redfearn not at his side (as we were told he would be) did he take on more than he could chew at Brentford?

Darko Milanic was in an unusual position. Being appointed when the team was playing its best football in ages, we all expected a win at Brentford. I certainly was and hadn't felt as confident of a win in, well ages. But were we expecting too much? Did he underestimate Brentford? Did he decide to take on Brentford to see if he could learn more by seeing for himself how he would cope for the first time with the demands of the English Championship?

If so, then I admire his bravery for taking on such a decision because losing this game risked losing the support of the fans at a very early stage. It either was a naïve one, making him vulnerable to criticism and possibly hostility or a sign that he is confident of his coaching abilities. By seeing his team selection perform may have been a valuable insight to his overall vision on how he would like his Leeds to play. He would see for himself how his players played, made decisions and react to match situations. He needs time to get to know his squad. So losing to Brentford may be not so bad in the long run. I was quite staggered to learn that statistics for that performance by Leeds was their best of the season! And that's with Marco Silvestri producing numerous world class saves to keep the score down. So, it goes to show how good Brentford were on the day. So called 'little teams' can bite back in this league.

Milanic had little time to get to know the strengths of each of his players, only the wise words of our great caretaker to rely on back at Elland Road. I was surprised that Casper Sloth was not starting. In time I hope that Milanic will realise that he is a vital cog in our midfield. He reminds me of David Batty; not a spectacular player who grabs the headlines but nevertheless a player that any inconsistent team needs. He steadies the ship from the start. Leeds have too often started matches abysmally and have either lost them in the first half or been fortunate to come away with something. We saw in the Huddersfield match how dominating our midfield was right from the start and I think Sloth had a big part in that impressive win.

With Neil Redfearn surprisingly absent in the dug-out yesterday I wonder if Milanic decided to see for himself what this league is all about. Perhaps he underestimated the quality of Brentford. Perhaps we all did. He would have found out who were the movers and the shakers in this division when he arrived for his first training session. No doubt Redfearn told him who he thought were the better sides in the division.

Derby, Nottingham Forest, Norwich would be the first 3 teams to come from Redfearn's mouth. I doubt Brentford were even mentioned. After this game he will have realised that every team are capable of producing good displays and none will be easy. It's tough at the top but he is a winner and should learn quickly how to win in this league.

I hope his first experience as manager of Leeds United has given him the same rude awakening as given to the younger me back in 1992. On reflection, that night stood me in good stead because through all the fumblings and the mistakes I made, it was a great learning curve. I became a good and efficient barman after that, able to handle situations as required. The next game is another tricky one against Reading at home on Wednesday and Milanic will be keen to get his first win as Leeds manager. I certainly hope that his learning curve will be as swift as mine was.

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