The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Wednesday 31st May) Andrea Radrizzani completes Sampdoria takeover

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Wednesday 31st May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...


Andrea Radrizzani completes Sampdoria takeover

A consortium, led by Andrea Radrizzani's Aser Group have announced the completion of Sampdoria football club, prompting speculation that his tenure at Elland Road is coming to an end.

Sky Sports reporter Gianluca Di Marzio took to social media late night night to make the announcement, which is likely to have a massive knock on effect on Leeds Utd. The Italian businessman isn't flavour of the month in West Yorkshire, and did the right thing by staying away from Elland Road on the final day of the season, opting instead to continue negotiations on his next business venture.

Sampdoria have crippling debts; if Radrizzani is going to make good on his promise to their fans, to keep the club safe, he will need to sell his shares in Leeds Utd. Now that Radz has a new toy to play with, Multiple sources this morning are stating that a deal between 49ers Enterprises and the Aser Group are close to being agreed. Radrizzani said...

We are nothing short of thrilled to be able to announce that we have completed the acquisition of this extraordinary club. The history and coat of arms of Sampdoria are safe and I think my happiness is (for) of all the people who were suffering for these colours. My thanks at this time go above all to all those people who worked relentlessly to ensure that this agreement found a just conclusion.

And in particular I have to extend a huge thank you to Matteo (Manfredi, Gestio Capital principal) and to the lawyer De Gennaro. Without them none of this would have been possible. From today we move on.... and I personally can't wait to get to work.

Gerrard's odds slashed overnight

Odds of Steven Gerrard becoming next Leeds Utd Manager have been slashed from 16/1, all the way down to 2/1 with leading bookmakers Bet365. The 43yo Liverpool Hall-Of-Famer has been out of work since parting company with Aston Villa last October, but is keen to return. With just over two weeks until the transfer window opens, Leeds will be keen to have a Manager in place, put together a retained list, and a short list of transfers, capable of promotion on the first time of asking. Current interim Manager Sam Allardyce 3/1, Brendan Rodgers 6/1, Lee Bowyer 15/2 and Rafa Benitez 12/1 make up the short list.





Should Leeds have stuck with Marsch

With the Leeds Utd post-mortem in full flow, we look at the Managerial merry-go-round, which did nothing but hinder the players in their pursuit of survival. Under Marsch's reign, Leeds were averaging 0.9 points per game, or 34 points over the season, compared to a combined median of 0.67 per game for Scubala, Gracia and Allardyce, or just 25 points over their 22/23 campaign. 34 points would not have been enough to keep the Whites up, but let's remember, Everton and Leicester City both took four points from Leeds last season. I know I'm hypothesising, but had those two losses have turned into draws, Leeds would have stayed up on goal difference.

[Byebyegeegee]

For Gerard’s odds to have been slashed from 16/1 to 2/1 someone must know something!

I think we should have got rid of Marsch earlier than we did. The shattered confidence of the players had really set in by the time he was sacked and there was no coming back from that, certainly Gracia and Big Sam were incapable of turning it around.

Then again, constant changes of Manager never give players time to settle and get used to a particular playing style but I still think we would have been doomed to relegation anyway had Marsch been kept.

[Kennyb41]

Oh ffs, jeez i'm fcking pissed off with this fcking dumb club and it's fcking dumb fans.

[Irish Ian]

For Gerard’s odds to have been slashed from 16/1 to 2/1 someone must know something!

I think we should have got rid of Marsch earlier than we did. The shattered confidence of the players had really set in by the time he was sacked and there was no coming back from that, certainly Gracia and Big Sam were incapable of turning it around.

Then again, constant changes of Manager never give players time to settle and get used to a particular playing style but I still think we would have been doomed to relegation anyway had Marsch been kept.

Odds reflect the amount of dosh being placed by punters.
Seeing bookies stay rich and punters remain losers I suggest that is all it tells us.

[Clitheroe White]

Kept Marsch - No...should have gone end of Oct when it was clear nothing was improving (ironically the Liverpool win being the worst result of the season).

Ownership - I just want clarity, commitment and passion (with a does of common sense so they can flush out crap advice). Just want that to be resolved fast and if Radz has committed elsewhere that must mean he's got an agreement re-shaped with the 49ers.

Manager - A priority must be developing young players to make to the first team (as we are about to be left with a lot of them). If Gerrard can do this then great, maybe he learnt a lot from the Villa experience which will make him better next time around.

Why isn't Corboran in the mix?
Assume Potter is looking at better placed jobs?

[Ellandback1]

Latest odds on a new Manager

[WhiteRose]

Gerrard likely on the long list of possibles as you would expect, might do a good job in the champ and we have some promising young players he could really improve. I get he isn’t bielsa standard but few are and yet many other managers have still achieved promotion.

Hard to say with Marsch, we played some good football under him so would likely of ended with a similar total still think with any of the managers had adams and sinni stayed fit we likely would have just had enough.

[lufc1304]

That's the first bit sorted, Radz, now sell your stake and let us move on.

Gerrard - my biggest concern is he was lost without Beale, so it's a no from me

Marsch - not a chance, should have been sacked before the WC. Should never have had the job, clueless

[DDB220]

Oh ffs, jeez i'm fcking pissed off with this fcking dumb club and it's fcking dumb fans.

Kettle and pots

[VinnysTattoo]

Marsch was Orta’s pet project so there was no way he was getting sacked before Christmas unfortunately.

Apart from the chaotic football it seems our fitness also took a nose dive.

Gerrard? I’m sure Villa fans would say no, but the Championship is a different ball game, literally.

I’d have him over Alladyce though.

[andrewjohnsmith]

After Rangers, I would have said a definite yes to Gerrard. But this season his stock has dropped. The difference between him an Emery at Villa was night and day.

Speaking of Emery. We were looking at him when we first thought of sacking Marsch. By the time we did it there were no good managers available. So, I definitely wish we'd fired him sooner.

[Orange Box]

Gerrard? I thought we were looking for an English speaking manager?

[John in Louisiana]

I was as big a supporter of Marsch's as anyone, but we were right to let him go for the same reason we were right to let Bielsa go: we were going down with him in charge (for different reasons, but still).

That we ended up going down anyway doesn't change that.

[John in Louisiana]

Odds reflect the amount of dosh being placed by punters.
Seeing bookies stay rich and punters remain losers I suggest that is all it tells us.

This. Precisely.

[Overman]

Good luck to the twat, I am more pissed off with every tosser piling in on Leeds at the moment.

[Kennyb41]

Kettle and pots

You wanted Bert gone, you actually got what you wanted.

Now take a look at us, are you happy after you got what you wanted, are you happy we're back to sq1 after the magical work he did.

You simply should not be watching football.

And you yourself are one of those dumb fans that didn't know a good thing when you had it.

You deserve and must enjoy the doldrum years.

[DDB220]

BBC sport article regarding a statement made by Radz, presumably today. The essence of which indicates he is more likely to still be the top dog for next season rather than completing on the sale to the 49’s.

No surprise really.

[DDB220]

You wanted Bert gone, you actually got what you wanted.

Now take a look at us, are you happy after you got what you wanted, are you happy we're back to sq1 after the magical work he did.

You simply should not be watching football.

And you yourself are one of those dumb fans that didn't know a good thing when you had it.

You deserve and must enjoy the doldrum years.

Kenny read my posts from around that time. I agreed based upon results he had to be sacked, but I did not want him to be sacked, I would have preferred him to stay. But I understand the cut throat nature of the game and accept s**t happens.

[White Riot]

Good luck to Radz with Sampdoria

Now f**k off and stop ruining our club you parasite.

The one chink of light at the end of two miserable seasons was that the 49ers would take over, get rid of Radz and co, and appoint some people who understand how to run a professional football club.

But Radz's corporate bullshit statement yesterday is a clear indicator that he's staying. That to me spells impending doom.

The guy has zero football knowledge, and no better indicator of that than when he handed the keys to the kingdom to that destroyer of football squads Victor Orta.

They lucked out and hit the jackpot when they appointed Bielsa, but other than that in footballing terms we have had bad decision after bad decision which has generated our descent back into darkness.

Radz is so egotistical, narcissistic and deluded that he seriously believes he can still do a great job here. Get to f**k you slimy twat.

He's a businessman and only concerned about . If he sells out to the 49ers now he's not going to get the big wedge he would have got if we were still in the EPL. Hence he's staying.

Radz, and lots of our supporters, still have an emotional attachment and belief in the players who got us promoted. Even though the last two awful seasons have shown these guys are useless and spineless people still revere them. What for? They've been shockingly bad and do not deserve to be wearing our shirt.

Radz will retain all of our useless, jellyfish, as it's the easy and cheap option. The limited group of talented players we have will be sold. For any player with talent and ambition, like Adams, Gnonto, Rutter and Summerville they will be off like a shot this summer as Radz has shown zero ambition since we got promoted.

I fully expect he will appoint another useless DOF, as he doesn't know what to look for.

That team and formation Allardyce put out on Sunday was an absolute disgrace, but no worries Sam, Radz is gonna give you a three year contract. Allardyce has stated that he rates Ayling, Koch and Harrison, whereas Stevie Wonder would have the lot of them sussed out after the first training session.

With Radz staying at our club we're on a path for further humiliation and chaos. League One here we come.

Bear in mind the summer break is shortened and the pot of money is less, so we have a lot to sort out with less time and money.

The descent will continue folks.

[White Riot]

I was as big a supporter of Marsch's as anyone, but we were right to let him go for the same reason we were right to let Bielsa go: we were going down with him in charge (for different reasons, but still).

That we ended up going down anyway doesn't change that.

100% correct John