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Leeds United manager update: Angus Kinnear in talks with manager candidates ahead ready for takeover resolution
Angus Kinnear has already “been in dialogue” with candidates to take over as manager at Leeds United and an appointment is likely to come before a new sporting director, Beren Cross reports.
Andrea Radrizzani and 49ers Enterprises still haven’t reached an agreement over who will be in charge moving forward, leaving the CEO to attempt to get “verbal” agreement with a new boss ready to go for when a resolution to the ownership situation is reached.
Sam Allardyce was unsuccessful in keeping the Whites in the Premier League in his four-game emergency appointment and wants talks over his future [Daily Mail, 29 May], but it appears Kinnear is looking ahead.
Cross replied to a question on his Leeds Live Q&A to say: “Angus Kinnear has already been in dialogue with prospective head coaches. The hope is verbal agreements can be made so that when the club knows who is signing the cheques they can move forward on those agreements.
“I would not be surprised if a head coach/manager was appointed before a sporting director, given the importance of that role in connection to the playing squad.”
Back log
Leeds United badly need to get the key appointments right this summer after proving incapable of landing the right men throughout the previous 18-months.
Since it stopped working for Marcelo Bielsa, Jesse Marsch, caretaker boss Michael Skubala, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce have been unable to prevent the Whites landing in the Championship anyway.
Many of the key decisions were Victor Orta’s and he has departed as well, so if the club are going to change the habit of the past two seasons and mount a push to get back into the top flight quickly they are going to need to be far more successful with recruitment.
Unless Kinnear was an ignored genius at Elland Road this whole time he is also tied to the record of failure in recent months.
So for the outward appearance at Elland Road to be that he is the one essentially left keeping multiple plates spinning on all the key decisions, with some input from the 49ers, isn’t going to fill supporters with relief.
If Radrizzani decides he won’t sell for a reduced price then fears will surely rise that more of the same is set to follow, and if 49ers Enterprises are to take over the longer they are kept from full control the harder it will be once they get in.
Kinnear can do all he wants lining up moves for managers or sporting directors, but if there isn’t clarity above him to give the green light it could all go to waste at what feels like a vital time for this club.
In other Leeds United news, the 49ers are expected to make immediate boardroom changes if they can finally get through the door as owners according to Phil Hay.