Leeds United: Kenny Dalglish scoffs at links to Celtic boss Ange Postecoglou with ‘stupid’ verdict
Leeds United would be “stupid” not to have asked Ange Postecoglou if he would take the manager’s job but he would have no reason to want to, says Kenny Dalglish.
The title-winning Celtic boss was repeatedly linked to the then-vacant Elland Road position after Jesse Marsch was sacked [Sky Sports, 7 February] and was even reportedly one of the early favourites [Scottish Sun, 7 February], but ignored the speculation and ultimately went nowhere.
The Whites lurched from pillar to post before eventually landing Javi Gracia, who has overseen an improvement in results, but former Premier League-winner with Blackburn Dalglish has scoffed at the idea that the Australian would have wanted to trade a title charge for a relegation battle.
The Liverpool legend said, via the Daily Record: “They’d be stupid not to ask him, but as someone said, it’s manners to wait until you’re asked. Even if he was asked, I don’t know if he would go.
“Are you trying to say that Celtic isn’t as big an adventure as some of the clubs that were allegedly interested in him?
“Why would he go down to the Premier League to get relegated, or to one of the teams threatened with relegation? He’d rather be at Celtic looking to win trophies.
“But it always comes up, when you’re doing well, there’s always someone else interested. And so they should be.”
Got there in the end
It was a mess at the time but the results under Gracia have tentatively made Leeds United fans feel fairly satisfied with the outcome, even if the route to it left plenty to be desired.
The Spaniard has won two and drawn one of his four Premier League fixtures to have the Whites up in 14th, even if the points gap is just two.
There is a lot to like about Postecoglou and it would be no surprise if he does make the move to the English top flight at some point, but as with so many of the other preferred candidates it seemed a long shot at that stage of the season with the job he already had on.
If the 57-year-old completes a domestic treble this season, with a nine-point gap at the top of the SPFL, a Scottish Cup semi-final against Rangers to come, and the League Cup already in the bag having defeated the Old Firm rivals, then perhaps he will consider a new challenge.
Leeds United need Gracia to keep them in the top flight, and if he is successful then he may be offered the job long-term, but given he was way down the list of priorities through February that is yet to become clear.
With a preseason and a clean slate of a league table then Elland Road is a far more attractive destination than when the current boss arrived with the team floundering in a relegation battle, so the incoming 49ers hierarchy may have a new man in mind.
If that is the case then they would possibly be “stupid” to not give Postecoglou a call then as well, even if Gracia would be excused for feeling pretty hard done by.
In other Leeds United news, the club appear to have pulled of a transfer coup with a sought-after player satisfied with the offer to join the Whites.
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