Leeds United manager update on Brendan Rodgers hopes amid Tottenham verdict
Leeds United will not be able to appoint Brendan Rodgers as manager this summer because he remains a Premier League manager, according to Alex Crook.
Phil Hay of The Athletic (26 May) had reported that the former Leicester boss was likely to be the favourite candidate of 49ers Enterprises if they complete a takeover from Andrea Radrizzani.
But with Tottenham still looking for a full-time replacement since getting rid of Antonio Conte on 26 March talkSPORT’s Crook doesn’t see the Northern Irishman as a viable option to take over from Sam Allardyce at Elland Road.
Crook told GIVEMESPORT: “No, I think he is still a Premier League manager and a good shout for Spurs. I know he doesn’t fit the profile as a young, up-and-coming manager but he is someone that Daniel Levy has admired in the past.”
Reality
It would certainly be a coup to land Rodgers in the Championship and it is surely going to take a swift takeover and a well-defined plan from 49ers Enterprises to convince him if it is to happen.
If there is substantial interest from the Premier League then it will likely be moot either way, especially if it comes from a club the size of Spurs.
And with Radrizzani seemingly more focused on events with Sampdoria currently it may be that a quick resolution to the ownership situation at Elland Road is easier said than done.
It would be a big surprise if Allardyce was kept on, and if he were, for him to last the duration of the season back in the Championship.
The manager will be a key element of the project if a return to the top flight is going to be made possible in a short time-frame, but with who is to be in charge and the make up for the boardroom likely needing to come first it could put the Whites at the back of the queue for coveted options in the dug-out.
Wasting time through the summer transfer window would be a highly risky mistake to make on top of the major blow that relegation is in itself, so from this point a lot is going to have to fall into place to see Rodgers take over at Elland Road.
In other Leeds United news, the 49ers will want one man to “exit the building” amid a “tense” situation behind the scenes.