George Overhill

Sun 12 February 2023 10:10, UK

Kjetil Knutsen would be a surprise if he got the Leeds United job but could come into play if the club’s shortlist are all unavailable, according to Sky Sports’ Tim Thornton.

The Bodo/Glimt manager, as well as Celtic’s Ange Postecoglou who he faced off against in the Europa Conference League last season, is a league winner in his current job and was quickly linked to the vacant role at Elland Road when Jesse Marsch was sacked last Monday [i News, 6 February].

According to Thornton though both are very much outside contenders, but with preferred options in West Brom boss Carlos Corberan, Andoni Iraola of Rayo Vallecano and Feyenoord’s Arne Slot all looking to be out of reach, the next set of options could become relevant.

The Sky Sports reporter told Give Me Sport: “I think Leeds are aware of them, but I’d be surprised to see either of them.

“Leeds will have a shortlist and then there will be others that will be on their radar if they can’t deliver on the shortlist. I think they will probably fall into that category.”

Postecoglou brushed off links to the job prior to Celtic’s 5-1 win over St. Mirren on Saturday (11 February), but three-time Eliteserien coach of the year Knutsen appears to have gone out of focus despite having been considered for the job previously.

Worthwhile?

Neither the Norwegian or the Australian will be cheap or easy to land, especially midseason, so if they aren’t top of the list of priorities perhaps the Whites board wouldn’t wish to spend a lot of money or effort for consolation options.

It seems more likely that a short-term option ahead of a reassessment in the summer would become the plan if none of the original names are within reach.

But it would be better to go all out for a candidate who has a recent track record of success than settling for a make-shift long-term plan with someone purely because they are currently available.

The first week of the manager search has been frustrating and left the club looking at back-up options already, so whatever the plan was supposed to be when getting rid of Marsch, it has fallen apart pretty quickly.

Why the Leeds United decision-makers chose the day after the Nottingham Forest defeat as the time patience had run out in Marsch, and yet didn’t have a sure-fire plan in place for it, is a key question now.

Having apparently pulled off such a successful transfer window, the disarray of playing multiple matches without a permanent manager has taken the shine off of the past month, to go along with the long wait for a win, but if the delays led to Knutsen or Postecoglou it might end up being worth it.

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.