49ers Enterprises have opportunity for fresh slate as Javi Gracia and Victor Orta sacked at Leeds United
Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has pulled the trigger and sacked both Javi Gracia and Victor Orta from their positions at Elland Road.
Gracia was ousted from his position as manager after just two-and-a-half months in charge following a shocking month of April that saw the team concede a record-breaking 23 goals in the Premier League.
Orta on the other hand has officially left the club via mutual consent after six years as the director of football, with Radrizzani claiming in the official statement that it was clear the club needed to go in a new direction.
“I am deeply saddened by the way that this chapter closes as Victor has been responsible for some of the best moments of my time as owner of Leeds United and I thank him and his people for all they have done in the past six years,” he said (2 May).
“However, it is clear that it is time to change direction and therefore we have agreed that Victor will leave the club.”
But what is still unclear is the future of Radrizzani at Leeds.
Reports suggest that the 49ers Enterprise will complete a takeover in the summer, with the valuation still to be agreed upon depending on whether or not Leeds are in the Premier League or Championship.
But with Sam Allardyce replacing Gracia on a short-term contract until the end of the season and Orta’s position behind the scenes now vacant, there is a chance to really start again.
Gracia previously was appointed on a “flexible contract”, with suggestions that if he kept the Whites in the top flight then he would stay on next season. That obviously hasn’t happened though.
So regardless of what Allardyce does, the 49ers will come into the club with a chance to bring in their own people immediately without making too many sweeping changes and affecting things. They’ll simply be filling empty roles.
A new manager will show the vision they have and what type of team they wish to be owners of, whether that is free-flowing, attacking football or strong, defensive football.
They will have their own identity, but also their own recruitment team in place to attract the talent they want to fit that image.
It’s a chance for Leeds to hit the reset button in the summer with less pressure on the new owners to make the big decisions
And they simply cannot get them wrong.
In other Leeds news, Simon Jordan has made a relegation prediction after the arrival of Sam Allardyce.