Tag Archives: Warnock

Articles, Leeds United

Leeds United: Warnock, it’s time to go

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Neil Warnock came to the club on the crest of a reputation wave, hyping himself up as a promotion specialist and the man to get Leeds United promoted. “You’ll never see another Leeds side like that under me” was his call after the 2-0 capitulation to Derby at the end of last season. We’ve since gone on to lose by two goals to Derby this year.

Neil Warnock came to the club extolling the virtues of “power and pace”, saying that his side would get the fans going rather than the other way around. Last night at Middlesbrough, Neil Warnock responded to fans calling for substitutions (clearly required, with Steve Morison very tired after 55 minutes) by sarcastically applauding the 2,009 Leeds fans who had dropped whatever filled their lives to travel to Middlesbrough to see his team, paying £27 for the privilege. We conceded 2 minutes later.

Neil Warnock came to the club with Robert Snodgrass on the books and said he’d build the team around him. Robert Snodgrass then went on to have 14 of the worst games he’s ever had in a Leeds shirt, completely anonymous behind Becchio, stopped from doing what he did best – crossing the ball.

Neil Warnock came to the club with Ross McCormack the top striker, one of the highest scoring in the division. He has since gone on to play Ross McCormack everywhere but as the main striker, whether on the left wing, right wing or in the hole. Over a year ago Ross McCormack scored an overhead kick. Over a year ago Ross McCormack scored a goal from over 20 yards out with his weaker left foot. Last night he didn’t have the confidence to hit the ball into an open net. Warnock has unjustly criticised it out of him.

Neil Warnock came to the club and began saying that the fans had been great to him. During two away games this season the fans have begun to chant “Warnock, time to go”. He’s then said in the post-match interview that they have a right to complain. But he’s then said “be careful what you wish for”. Neil Warnock thinks he’s bigger than Leeds United. No one is.

Neil Warnock came to the club with Luciano Becchio a fans favourite. The last true icon, Becchio is (despite departing) our top goalscorer this season. We’ve been through it all together with him, the cup runs and the promotion. Neil Warnock has spent all season having his players hoof the ball to Becchio’s head, starving him of the supply line down the wings he thrives on. Becchio still had the beginnings of what would have been his best season yet at the club. Neil Warnock singled out Luciano Becchio for the display against Barnsley, clearly unsettling a player further who was already looking to leave. Neil Warnock thinks that in that battle Leeds fans sided with him. He’s wrong.

Neil Warnock came to the club with his philosophies on football. The reality is, as much as we try to forget it, that Leeds was once on the cusp of footballing ideas. We revolutionised scouting, player recruitment and the man management of players. It was said of Eddie Gray that when he “walks on snow he doesn’t leave any footprints”. Johan Cruyff, the lynchpin of Total Voetbal said, with regards to playing Leeds, that “Leeds will make you dance”. Neil Warnock has brought his outdated playing the percentages tactics to Elland Road, ignoring the recent history of football and what actually brings success. Neil Warnock has brought dirtiness to a team that wasn’t there before, and should not be applauded for it. Michael Brown is a butcher these days, and needs to be put out to pasture. Possibly on Warnock’s farm.

Neil Warnock came to the club with a handful of young players on the books ready for improvement. He’s brought one into the side, Sam Byram, and looks to be on the verge of completely tiring him out before his first season is even over, playing him in every single match. Elsewhere he’s completely forgone Dominic Poleon, citing attitude issues, despite the impressive displays he’s put on every time he’s been given an opportunity. Chris Dawson, a youngster who looks to be one of the most exciting prospects from Thorp Arch in a while, was told to just hit the ball long by Warnock. He’s ruining our youth.

Neil Warnock came to the club with a series of journeymen clogging up the books, the likes of Andy O’Brien, Danny Pugh and Michael Brown. Warnock has got rid of them and added his own players not good enough for Leeds, the likes of Luke Varney, Michael Tonge…and Michael Brown. We’re tied to his failures for years.

Neil Warnock came to the club after Simon Grayson, who took us out of League One, got a team playing quality football and dealt with a multi-million pound cut to his playing budget by steering us to 3 points from the play-off places before ultimately being sacked. Simon Grayson is our second most successful manager of all time, with a win-rate of 57.59%. Neil Warnock, the supposed improvement, has managed Leeds United for 37 games, winning 14, losing 14 and drawing 9, with a 37.84% win rate.

Warnock, it’s time to go.

Follow Amitai Winehouse on Twitter (@awinehouse1).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuWqJ71vaqo

Articles, Leeds United

Leeds United: Time to go, Neil. Has the United manager’s tenure reached a premature conclusion?

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By Jack Bennett.

It was only around a year ago that the city of Leeds had mustered some new-found positivity on hearing the news that veteran manager and promotion specialist, Neil Warnock, would be Leeds United’s new manager. There was a sense of genuine optimism that had previously been lacking, due to a combination of on and off-field factors that had left the white faithful disillusioned and disjointed. Despite an uncertain league position and the play-off spots slipping from grasp, some fans even put speculative bets on promotion. It seemed that things were finally looking up, after ten years of turmoil.

Fast-forward twelve months, and the club is seemingly in no better condition than it was when Warnock took over. With forty-one points from twenty-nine games, the Whites are looking unlikely to muster a late play-off push, and another season has once again slipped by, one that will be regarded as yet another missed opportunity. Despite the 63-year-old’s claim that he is ‘doing a good job’, the Leeds fans have been angered and frustrated by his poor tactics and team selections, ignorance, and even nonchalance at the club’s disappointing league position. Having brought in a multitude of players – many of them from his previous clubs – at the start of the season, the manager can have no complaints about a playing squad he has assembled.

Although Leeds reached the League Cup fifth round, where they were beaten comfortably by a strong Chelsea side, and beat Tottenham Hotspur last week to reach the FA Cup fifth round, the club’s lifeblood – its fans – have been loud in their criticism and disapproval of Warnock’s tenure, clearly and understandably angry at the way their club is being run and managed. Another season of disappointment has been a bitter pill to swallow for the fans, whose happiness at the takeover news in November quickly being ousted by continuing poor results on the field and a swathe of unproven signings in January.

In essence, Leeds have reached a crossroads. By sacking Warnock and bringing in a young manager with fresh hunger for success, the club would be able to plan ahead for next season, refresh the squad, and make a concerted effort for promotion. The flip side is, of course, to continue with Warnock in charge – although he may well choose to leave in May – and seemingly go round in circles further, with outdated tactics and a penchant for signing former players, many of whom are past their use-by date.

This is a time of great change for Leeds United, and I only hope that GFH-C make the right decision in taking this great club forward, rather than leaving it to stagnate.

Articles, Leeds United, News

Leeds United: Changes to be Rung for Hull Trip?

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Yesterday’s capitulation against Nottingham Forest is endemic of the issues Leeds have faced this season, with mistakes made in team selection and substitutions contributing to a poor performance. With that in mind, there are several decisions that need to be made for Saturday.

Start Ross McCormack: the Scot has found himself suffering from a poorly timed injury this season, taking time out just as El Hadji Diouf found his form. However, McCormack remains Leeds’s most technically able player, one of Leeds’s more gifted goals getters and creators and offers more to the team than Diouf has done over the last two matches (Diouf was especially poor in the first half against Middlesbrough). A poor performance against Derby aside, McCormack was integral to the best performance of our recent form, the away victory over Huddersfield, and Warnock’s inability to remember this is a criticism that needs to be made. Required.

A change of formation?: Hull, with their continental 5-3-2, are likely to dominate possession up against the now standard flat 4-4-2 of Leeds. This was the case for sure in the return fixture earlier this season. A switch to a 4-3-3 would allow a central three of Austin, Norris and Green to combat Hull’s midfield effectively and play a part our midfield has failed to play in recent months. Furthermore, it would allow McCormack and Thomas to provide effective support to Becchio against what will be a strong defence, whilst releasing Byram to challenge a full back one on one. The defensive help provided by the wide men in a 4-4-2 is not necessary when facing this narrower (in the final third) formation. Would be ideal, but seems unlikely.

Give Somma longer and more support: Warnock seems a big fan of alienating certain players, immediately pointing to McCormack as a sub last season and similarly saying Somma should have scored more against Forest, before we even get to the horrendous treatment of Dominic Poleon all season long. This is in contrast to the lack of criticism the likes of Peltier, Varney, Brown and Kenny have received at times, with two of the four at times undroppable even when playing incredibly poorly. Warnock needs to realise the likes of Somma and McCormack need belief from the manager – how can they be expected to score some of the more spectacular efforts they are well capable of when their manager constantly queries their ability to score from 5 yards? Warnock seems especially keen to find any excuse to drop Somma and McCormack, ahead of his demands for a new striker. Whilst in Becchio Leeds have one of the best finishers in the league, Warnock needs to realise the other 3 front men (adding Diouf) make up probably the most potent strike force in the league. Somma needs support and another 30 minutes against Hull.

Follow Amitai Winehouse on twitter (@awinehouse1) for more talk about Leeds forever and ever and ever.