‘Not the Right Man for the Job’: Leeds United CEO Talks Past Mistakes and Positivity for the Future
Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear discussed Leeds’ path to success in the Premier League during an interview with The Square Ball Podcast. He lauded the Brighton & Hove Albion approach in the video while cautioning Whites supporters that the turnaround would not happen overnight.
Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear in Interview Asks Fans for Time
Kinnear Positive About Leeds United Head Coach
Former West Ham managing director Kinnear acknowledged that some Leeds supporters might still be bitter about the club’s ownership following the departure of coach Marcelo Bielsa. The Argentinean manager led the Whites to promotion in 2020 but left the team following a disastrous 2022–2023 season.
Kinnear compared Daniel Farke, the incoming head coach, to Bielsa and said, “His approach is much more like Marcelo’s, which is, I want to run everything.” There may be unity between the coaching staff and board members, according to the Leeds CEO, who appears to enjoy how the German is conducting himself.
Coaches and Players
Kinnear is aware of how difficult it is to leave the Championship and how crucial it is to have the proper player. Jesse Marsch, he claimed, was “Not the Right Man for the Job” in terms of keeping Leeds in the Premier League. The Whites are preparing for a run in the English second division by, among other things, strengthening their financial position and making the necessary investments: “The club has saved £40 million through salary workings.”
The underlying assumption is that these players will be able to perform at the required level. Kinnear thinks Leeds made wise decisions with the purchases they made. With one victory, three ties, and one defeat, the Whites are now 15th in the Championship. The club’s patchy start to the season was exemplified by a defeat to struggling Salford City in the EFL Cup.
Troubling Clauses
Many of the players Leeds signed to keep them in the Premier League had dubious loan clauses in their contracts that would have allowed them to leave the team if they were demoted. Many of these footballers are playing outside Elland Road this year due to their dismal performance previous season.
Kinnear claims that the provisions were added to prevent players from quitting permanently: The players who left would have preferred to do so on long-term contracts. Leeds will need to save money on salaries in order to build a team under Farke that will hopefully help the club get promoted.
