The Official Coca-Cola Leagues Thread

[Adam]

Yeah you're probably right Matt, although we have managed a fair few clean sheets this season-Wolves goal at the weekend was the first we'd conceded at the Keepmoat since Barnsley came here in October-but the strikeforce problem is one that really needs addressing. I'm hoping we'll bring somebody in in January, as well as hopefully bringing Steve Brooker & Shelton Martis back in on loan, since both should be free of injury by then.

[Dan]

Simon Grayson will be named Leeds manager tomorrow

[Matt]

I'll definitely take that. Knows what Leeds is all about, played midfield and defence, so should (hopefully) still have a focus on good passing football, but will sort the defence out and has experience getting teams out of this league. Glad to see we haven't gone for the cheap option, either. Only complaint is that he's not an experienced manager, but lets hope that's not going to be important.

[Crybaby Bunting]

Rejected according to the beeb

[Matt]

Blackpool say fuck off. Back to the drawing board.

[Matt]

I'm sure you'll all join me when I say: Bwahaha.

http://www.swindon.vitalfootball.co.uk/article.asp?a=136261

Former Republic of Ireland manager Steve Staunton is in the frame to become new Swindon Town manager following his dismissal from Leeds United.

Staunton was recently employed at League One rivals Leeds United as assistant manager before being dismissed following the sacking of Gary McAllister on Sunday.

Town chairman Andrew Fitton has turned things up a notch after another disappointing loss on the weekend to Yeovil Town and will hope to have a new manager in place early in the New Year.

[Adam]

I would've been surprised to see Grayson going to Leeds. Odd as it sounds, leaving Blackpool for Leeds would not have been a smart move.

[Matt]

Not really. More money, childhood club, more money to spend, more potential, new challenge, chance to become a hero, etc:

[Crybaby Bunting]

Then again some managers don't ever want to manage their childhood club because of the fear of ruining it (through financial mismanagement, player mismanagement or just messing up tactics enough to do badly) or becoming a hate figure.

Plus the more money argument is good on paper, but he's losing out both ways at the moment. If he stays, he doesn't have the finances to get players out of his league, and stays at the lukewarm reputation of Blackpool. If he goes he has more money and the reputation of Leeds, but some players still won't ever go to a League 1 club, mainly because so many players signed last season under the impression they were going straight up... only to not.

And to conclude... despite Bates probably having more money than any other League 1 chairman... he's not going to spend much until they're in the Championship or above, otherwise he's just wasting loads on players that he's going to discard at the next level. Grayson has built a club up that's solid enough to keep them in the Championship for 3 years and things can easily get better/worse, it's still less volatile than a Leeds managerial post.

[Matt]

Not saying there aren't reasons he wouldn't come, but it's a pretty smart move to join a club that are as low as they're (hopefully) ever going to get rather than to stay at one that's not going to get much higher any time sooner (barring near miracles).

[Adam]

I think Blackpool can easily go higher up the pyramid. Hull being in the Premiership is a great example of how this can happen, and teams like Plymouth, Colchester and Bristol City have enjoyed reasonable success at the top end of the Championship, if only for a season.

[Matt]

Eh, I can't be arsed arguing the toss over something that's just a matter of opinion.

Just seen this on the Leeds forum, "Santa Look-a-like competition"

Spoiler: Click here to view

[TAFKA Castroneves]

I would be surprised if Grayson went to Leeds to be honest. Childhood yes, but he was a Leicester legend and still turned us down in the summer. its nice in some ways to read on here about us last year in the Championship - the fact of the matter is that we had the second best defence in the league over the season...but still went down. you need to score goals in this league, like doncaster are proving this season. I am looking forward to the leeds game on boxing day, it's the game i have been most scared of this season. although a lot of people are talking 3 to 4-0 it is going to be closer than that. Personally for leeds - you guys need a manager to reduce your team back to the basics and rebuild around what you have. I'd say its got to be either boothroyd or sheridan - maximise the best of what you have - and be clever in the transfer market.

[britneyspearsisgod]

Like it or not, Leeds United is becoming a bit like the Newcastle job - there is a large weight of expectation that many managers are just unable to fully achieve. Leeds are a big club in terms of history and what-have-you, but there has to be a reasonable amount of realism concerning the job - it just doesn't happen overnight and everyone at the club needs to dig in and fight for their results. The same as everywhere else, really. But just turned up ten-fold.

The worry I would see a manager facing is that there's no room for mistake, otherwise they'll get tarred with the same brush as managers gone by. Ian Holloway springs immediately to mind. Not to say he was ever an amazing manager, but his reputation took a strong hit after Leicester got relegated.

[Adam]

Simon Grayson has the Leeds job. >_<

Edited December 23, 2008 by 1PWCorino

[Matt]

Grayson's joined.

[King Ellis]

I wonder how much we bunged Blackpool for that to happen.

[Matt]

I wonder how much we bunged Blackpool for that to happen.

Can't be a lot, it's Bates.

[IAceI]

Leeds: "Can we speak to Grayson?"

Blackpool: "No"

Leeds: "..Please?"

Blackpool: "Oh go on then."

[Adam]

Nah, Grayson said he'd quit if he didn't get to speak with Leeds. Not a lot Blackpool could do really.