Phil Hay predicts replacement for Victor Orta at Leeds United amid 49ers Enterprises uncertainty
Phil Hay believes Leeds United will find a new director of football after Victor Orta left Elland Road this week along with manager Javi Gracia.
Orta left the Whites by mutual consent on 2 May after almost six years of being in charge of the ins and outs in West Yorkshire.
Leeds’ position in the Premier League table has prompted them to hire Sam Allardyce as their new manager for the remaining four games of the season.
And due to that uncertainty, it’s led to a full takeover by 49ers Enterprises being left in limbo, which according to Hay, affects the hiring process of Orta’s replacement.
Speaking on the latest episode of The Phil Hay Show podcast on Friday (5 May, 32m40s) when asked if there will be a replacement for Orta, Hay said: “It would be common sense because every single club in Europe – give or take – is following it at the moment. Director of football or sporting director – whatever it is – that position will have to be filled.
“But it has to be said that pushing on with any of this is difficult until Leeds are clear about where they’re going with the ownership.
“Is it going to be Radrizzani in charge next season? Is it going to be 49ers Enterprises?
“As we keep saying, if they stay up, we think there’ll be a shift but if they go down, it’s far more questionable.”
Up in the air
Leeds’ future ownership is a sub-plot that fans won’t be concerning themselves too much with right now – and understandably so.
Whether it’s Radrizzani or the 49ers at the helm, Leeds are in a relegation battle and with four games to go, they have very tough fixtures.
It remains to be seen if Big Sam will preserve the Whites’ Premier League status with the odds firmly stacked against him due to a run of fixtures that’s arguably the hardest out of those in the mix to go down.
For Radrizzani, he’ll be praying Leeds stay up because he’ll be able to maximise a huge profit on the investment he initially put down on Leeds in January 2016.
For the 49ers, they might be having doubts either way and relegation could make their decision for them. Why would they invest into a full takeover of a Championship club?
There’s a lot at stake for everyone.
Except for Allardyce, who’s kind of in a no-lose situation where even if the Whites do go down, he’ll get a handsome salary for one month of work.
In other Leeds United news, four senior players have been ruled out of the clash with Manchester City.