Leeds First Season Manager December Update

Seemed to be the Jason Roberts signing for Reading that gave them the quality to kick on in their promotion season. We know of his intentions to do the same here in January, hopefully he can get a couple in and McDermott can continue his fantastic record at the beginning of the new calendar year. I'm looking forward to the 8 game winning run

As for the last question, of course!

comment by Cal - An evening with The Dixie Chicks (U11544)
posted 11 minutes ago
They are stats.It's not attacking anyone.
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Cal, you misunderstood. I wasn't saying white was attacking him, I was just saying that the stats are irrelevant and that a manager should be given 2-3 years before we judge.

Evening all thanks for the comments so far and the defence Cal

Salonika, I'm the last person to attack any of our managers and I agree they should be given longer to manage. As long as they do a reasonable job the first year.

This originally back in Summer was intended as a "Don't sack the manager stat," Just look where Revie is and he won't do much better all season. But look what he did in future years.

So when things get tough are we going forward as a club ? Is the overall picture improving? Can he stand up to Warnocks results? Yes I believe is the answer to all those .

It was also intended as a defence for McDermott if he needed it against a couple of now removed posters on here who judged him by his hair rather than ability.

Please do keep commenting I appreciate the input on it & I'm happy to answer anything thats not clear

No disrespects White BL, obviously a lot of works gone into it but,

I think it's unfair compare managers in different leagues.

Different leagues have different styles of football, harder players to play against, teams, as a whole are harder to play against in the higher leagues.

Also, different era's had different styles of football and formations; and different types of footballs; not forgetting different on field rules.

Plus, we also had an owner (Bates) who didn't want promotion to prem league.

Also, considering most of the managers managed under the 2 points for a win and 1 point for a draw rule, try converting the 3 point managers to 2 points and see how the positions shape up.

Then, put them all on equal number of games played, say, the first 20 games, baring in mind the number of teams in each league has also changed.

5 stars from me White BL

A good read.



Wouldn't be surprised if someone moans that you've not put in enough Ellipses or the stats are too close to the right hand side of the page.

Most interesting comparison I think is BM with Billy.

As a manager for us, Billy never quite made it but was really not far from achieving.

BM has had a tough start having inherited a poor squad and has done well with what he has.

I always think it takes 3 years to be able to call a squad your own and believe that if he is properly supported then we have a decent chance of playoffs next season.

Its really all about the backing.

Its really all about the backing.
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. and how the manager then uses it !

How do you compare any of the managers we've had since O'Leary, effectively the last of our managers to have been backed? Of course, it is impossible to compare a backed manager in the premiership against unbacked in the lower leagues. All that leaves us with is how BM is doing so far against our other lower league managers.

This link shows win rates (for want of a better measure) and it's interesting that Blackwell, Grayson, McAllister, Wise and McDermott all archive 50%+... A decent achievement, except when you're managing Leeds United!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Leeds_United_A.F.C._managers

So, back to the point, if we don't get any backing, stick with BM, cos we won't get better.

If we do get backing? Well, any of those past managers could perhaps have got us promoted with backing. . .if they had bought well....and therein lies how BM will be judged.

One final point, back to O'Leary.... Was it really all about the backing he got....or was it about the opposite. . . . He got the crop out of our youth system.
As BM will never have O'Learys level of investment, and our youth system is a fraction as effective as it was, BM has got to get the balance right between youth and (bought in) experience.

It's too early to say that Murphy, Byram and Mowatt are ALL good examples of BM investing in youth. Similarly, some of his 'experienced' purchases already made would appear questionable.

I do think every manager needs a bit if luck when trying to pull together an effective team. Sometimes good players just don't fit, and poorer ones impress. It takes trial and error to get it right. This transfer window will not the be answer, nor maybe the summer one. . . . unless we get lucky. . . .

Ultimately, we need a bit of patience.

I say give BM 3 years to get us up if he gets investment.
If he gets none, we might as well keep him, cos I can't see how we can continue to blame the manager.

I agree with that Silonica,but the sad facts, or maybe statistics if we look at it in another way, show,even if the fans are happy with the manager,it all depends on what the owners want, or intentions are.

Good article with a lot of good comments, it seems we are all agreed B McD has to get the backing and use it sensibly, it's refreshing to see so many agreeing on here obviously White BL you bring out the best in the posters, either that or they've started on the bevvy early

I agree with the points made that there are too many variables to make accurate comparisons .

Right backing, Right Acquisitions and 2014 will be Good for LUFC