Brian: The right decision?

[Ian Royal]

Brian can surely only return if he's assured the takeover has fallen through. Otherwise he's a dead man walking and everyone knows it. Hardly a tenable position for a manager. Leeds really are an absolute shambles allowing some Italian crooks to sack the manager before they've even bought the club, and then getting cold feet and calling them on it a day too late.

[leicsRoyal]

Brian can surely only return if he's assured the takeover has fallen through. Otherwise he's a dead man walking and everyone knows it. Hardly a tenable position for a manager. Leeds really are an absolute shambles allowing some Italian crooks to sack the manager before they've even bought the club, and then getting cold feet and calling them on it a day too late.

I wouldn't be suprised if Leeds were a little in the dark as to what was going on yesterday. It sounds as if this Cellino bloke took it on his own authority to instruct his lawyer to start the clear out.
If this was the case then Leeds themselves should really cancel this whole take over.

[royalgrumpy]

McDermott should put pride before going back there. As soon as the Italian crook takes over his days are numbered anyway. He's only been offered his job back, or rather the club make out there's some confusion over his 'supposed' dismissal, because legally they're screwed. The new owner in waiting sacked him, not the current owner, and once that was pointed out to them by the media they realised McD had them over a barrel. Now of course it's a misunderstanding. Stay away, Brian! They'll be a better position available in the coming months. Take your money and take your time getting back in the game.

[AirRaidSiren]

McDermott should put pride before going back there. As soon as the Italian crook takes over his days are numbered anyway. He's only been offered his job back, or rather the club make out there's some confusion over his 'supposed' dismissal, because legally they're screwed. The new owner in waiting sacked him, not the current owner, and once that was pointed out to them by the media they realised McD had them over a barrel. Now of course it's a misunderstanding. Stay away, Brian! They'll be a better position available in the coming months. Take your money and take your time getting back in the game.

This. Good post.

[glass half full]

It would not surprise me if they got out of this by attempting to concoct some sort of 'gross misconduct' charge against Brian as 'grounds' for sacking. It is now time for the LMA to bring out their big guns.

[Ian Royal]

It would not surprise me if they got out of this by attempting to concoct some sort of 'gross misconduct' charge against Brian as 'grounds' for sacking. It is now time for the LMA to bring out their big guns.

Pretty nailed on case for gross misconduct when a manager just doesn't turn up on matchday. It's a pretty lame excuse to say I was sacked by someone who has nothing to do with the club. I think Bri's got no chance against a gross misconduct charge.

[royalgrumpy]

It would not surprise me if they got out of this by attempting to concoct some sort of 'gross misconduct' charge against Brian as 'grounds' for sacking. It is now time for the LMA to bring out their big guns.

Pretty nailed on case for gross misconduct when a manager just doesn't turn up on matchday. It's a pretty lame excuse to say I was sacked by someone who has nothing to do with the club. I think Bri's got no chance against a gross misconduct charge.

Nigel Gibbs confirmed to Sky Sports after the game Brian McDermott was sacked and he only knows that a statement was released this evening and that he hadn't read it yet. Leeds can't claim he just didn't turn up, not after that and the announcement yesterday.

[From Despair To Where?]

Don't mean to be rude but if he stays he's a complete pussy. No manager worth their salt would tolerate that.

I wouldn't go as far as saying he's a pussy, but to come back after that? He'd be foolish to do so.


What I do find strange is that on their fan forums, many were getting frustrated with his managerial abilities, are pissed off with the sacking, then they go to sing his name win 5-1 without him, with a different approach to the game.

There was your plan b, Brian.

I think it's more the manner in which it was done rather than the "sacking" itself they have an issue with. Most Leeds fans I know are sick of the club being run by disreputable oxf*rd and are aware that the club is a laughing stock. Brian, despite his failings, was seen as a pretty honest bloke with a bit of integrity who, and this is key to the whole thing in the supporters' minds, came across as genuinely caring about what happened at the club.

I think Brian would be mad to go back though.

[Muskrat]

The LMA would wipe the floor with any charge of gross misconduct as would any Employment Tribunal. LOLeeds should cancel this supposed "takever" after what can only be seen as a complete clusterfukk caused by their prospective new owner. Why would Brian want to go back and work for these muppets anyway when he can take a good pay-off and go and work for a decent club that would respect him.

[AirRaidSiren]

Don't mean to be rude but if he stays he's a complete pussy. No manager worth their salt would tolerate that.

I wouldn't go as far as saying he's a pussy, but to come back after that? He'd be foolish to do so.


What I do find strange is that on their fan forums, many were getting frustrated with his managerial abilities, are pissed off with the sacking, then they go to sing his name win 5-1 without him, with a different approach to the game.

There was your plan b, Brian.

I think it's more the manner in which it was done rather than the "sacking" itself they have an issue with. Most Leeds fans I know are sick of the club being run by disreputable oxf*rd and are aware that the club is a laughing stock. Brian, despite his failings, was seen as a pretty honest bloke with a bit of integrity who, and this is key to the whole thing in the supporters' minds, came across as genuinely caring about what happened at the club.

I think Brian would be mad to go back though.

Yes, you're more than likely to be right.

[FridaysGhost]

Only Brian's actual employers could sack him and it has been widely announced that he was sacked! It may be that the potential new Owners told the current Owners to get rid of him (thus saving themselves bad publicity and 2 years pay) but it has obviously backfired!

I cannot see how the Italian Consortium can get FA approval given what is known about them and the potential problems of another Portsmouth.

Therefore, Brian has the backing of his players and the fans and today, suddenly, his employers have said that he was not sacked and is still in charge (big turn-around there then!).

Of course Brian should take up the reins again, to not do so would hurt the club, the players and the fans AND leave him with an unwanted legal case if the current Owners decide to play Hardball! It seems to me that he'll now be in a far stronger position than he was before and can say:- 'keep these Italian idiots away from me and my team'.

[Pseud O'Nym]

win 5-1 without him, with a different approach to the game.

Really?

Gibbs said the victory over Huddersfield was for McDermott, adding: "At 12.15pm [managing director] David Haigh asked me to take the team and I told the players.
"The team was prepared by Brian. It's his team, his performance and his victory."

As to those saying he shouldn't go back, according to the LMA

An LMA statement said: "Brian received a call [on Friday] night from a solicitor informing him that Leeds United were terminating his contract as manager.
"[On Saturday] morning Brian received a further phone call from a director of the football club stating that the company on whose behalf the solicitor had contacted Brian are not the owners of Leeds United.
"In the circumstances, Brian was asked by the directors of the club not to take the match and we are awaiting clarification of the situation over the weekend."

so if he was never sacked in the first place then "not going back" would in fact mean resigning which would be a bloody stupid thing to do financially.

[FridaysGhost]

Whatever happened at Leeds over Friday and Saturday, with every new piece of information, Brian comes out as an innocent victim. He can pretty well do what he likes and I cannot see him ending up as a loser. Either he remains as Leeds Manager with far greater acceptance all round OR he'll get a large payout with his reputation intact! Good for him.

[Royal Lady]

Why would Leeds Utd ask him "not to take the match" if there had been a misunderstanding? Either he was sacked by the Italians, without their knowledge, or he was sacked with their knowledge, realised that they would be liable to pay his compensation and decided in the end to say he was still manager. If it was the former, they wouldn't have told him to stay away today. Why would the current owners dance to the tune of some dodgy Italians who haven't even passed their Fit and Proper tests by the FA yet?

[soggy biscuit]

Why would Leeds Utd ask him "not to take the match" if there had been a misunderstanding? Either he was sacked by the Italians, without their knowledge, or he was sacked with their knowledge, realised that they would be liable to pay his compensation and decided in the end to say he was still manager. If it was the former, they wouldn't have told him to stay away today. Why would the current owners dance to the tune of some dodgy Italians who haven't even passed their Fit and Proper tests by the FA yet?

Because life can often be far more complex than it looks

[Royal Lady]

Yeah or Ken Bates is just a complete oxf*rd who wants his money out and doesn't give a flying one about anything else.

[sandman]

win 5-1 without him, with a different approach to the game.

Really?

Gibbs said the victory over Huddersfield was for McDermott, adding: "At 12.15pm [managing director] David Haigh asked me to take the team and I told the players.
"The team was prepared by Brian. It's his team, his performance and his victory."

Was just about to post something similar.

That AirRaidSiren fella is a reet D!ckhead.

[sputnik]

Ken Bates is just a complete oxf*rd

Nothing new here then.

[Zana Badawi]

Don't mean to be rude but if he stays he's a complete pussy. No manager worth their salt would tolerate that.

I wouldn't go as far as saying he's a pussy, but to come back after that? He'd be foolish to do so.


What I do find strange is that on their fan forums, many were getting frustrated with his managerial abilities, are pissed off with the sacking, then they go to sing his name win 5-1 without him, with a different approach to the game.

There was your plan b, Brian.

I know you two are the board idiots but this is a new level of denseness, even for you.
The difference between walking and sacking is financial. There has also been a very recent, very clear example of this at Cardiff. Did you both miss it?

"The 5-1 without him with a different approach to the game" is just, well, an extraordinary statement to make. Not even of this planet.

As it happens, I've just spent the afternoon with two Leeds United fans and they are annoyed as the club they support have somehow managed to sack McDermott in a worse way than we did. Any reinstatement would just be a stunning cherry on the cake. Yes, they're annoyed and doubtful because they havent seen a win for ages, but they are definitely on Ross McCormack's side here - there's a big difference between getting over upset at a lack of wins and wanting a manager sacked - you know this right? (And yet another LOL at pulling up forums as a source of malcontent or otherwise - you must both know that all forums contain people with extreme views on either side of the spectrum. You could pick up support for any view point from a forum.)

What is going on at Leeds is a disgrace.
1. Its all about stopping Ross McCormack leaving in the transfer window
2. Its about doing this whilst avoiding a payoff to McDermott.

If you dont understand that, or consider that acceptable then Im a bit stunned. But then again youve never 'got' why some Reading fans are annoyed at the McDermott sacking, despite them trying to get you to understand for about a year now. However, the Leeds situation is EVEN CLEARER than our own a year ago.

[Zana Badawi]

Why would Leeds Utd ask him "not to take the match" if there had been a misunderstanding? Either he was sacked by the Italians, without their knowledge, or he was sacked with their knowledge, realised that they would be liable to pay his compensation and decided in the end to say he was still manager. If it was the former, they wouldn't have told him to stay away today. Why would the current owners dance to the tune of some dodgy Italians who haven't even passed their Fit and Proper tests by the FA yet?

Because they still want their money?
Even if the Italians have exceeded their powers, if you want a takeover to go through you may end up doing it in a less utopic way than expected (to stop it getting scuppered at the last minute). The buyers know this and effectively hold the cards.