{{primary_category}}
{{/primary_category}} 
Marcelo Gallardo could be persuaded to take Leeds United manager job in the summer - Graham Smyth
Marcelo Gallardo could be persuaded to take the Leeds United manager job in the summer, but he doesn’t want the role now, according to Graham Smyth.
The Whites have been knocked back several times in their unsuccessful attempts to appoint a successor to Jesse Marsch, with former River Plate manager Gallardo rejecting an initial approach by the West Yorkshire club. [Jorge Baravalle, 9 February]
Speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast (16 February), Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Smyth admitted he could see why portions of the Leeds fanbase were terrified at the failure to appoint a manager ahead of the club’s crunch matches against Everton and Southampton.
On the possibility of Gallardo moving to Elland Road in the summer, Smyth said: “And Marcelo Gallardo as well, he’s not a man for now. He doesn’t want it now, but he could be persuaded in the summer.
“So, with all of their top targets being unavailable right now, you can see the path between that scenario and one where Michael Skubala has been given these two games.
“You can also see why so many fans are terrified of it going wrong because the consequences of losing these two games are very obvious.”
Subscribe to Football Insider TV now
Risky game to play.
Leeds are really rolling the dice by leaving Skubala in charge for the pair of upcoming six-pointers against Everton and Southampton, with his lack of managerial experience an obvious area of weakness.
Especially considering the vast experience Sean Dyche possesses through his many years of scrapping away at Turf Moor, a man like Gallardo would be so handy for Leeds to have in the dugout.
A move for Gallardo in the summer does make more sense for Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta, as after spending eight years at River Plate, it was always unlikely he would jump straight back into the game.
There is no doubting his credentials, however. After facing the pressure of managing the South American giants for so many years, he will not crumble under the pressure of the Leeds manager tag. If the likes of Andoni Iraola aren’t available in the summer, the club could do much worse than appointing Gallardo.
In other Leeds United news, click here to see breaking, around-the-clock updates on Leeds’ search for a new manager in our interactive live blog.
Be sure to follow MOT Leeds News on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with all the latest, breaking news from Elland Road.