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September 2003 Archive
29th September, 2003
Roses Clash Live on Sky
Leeds United's Carling Cup game against
Manchester United will be screened live on Sky Sports.
The home tie at Elland Road takes place on Tuesday, October 28, with a 7.45pm kick-off.
28th September, 2003
0-4 and Desperate!
Following a second successive 0-4 away result, Peter Reid accused the Leeds United side of not trying, and launched a blistering attack on his players... again.
After the game he said:
"We are in for a very hard season if we keep playing like this. I am very worried. [YOU'RE worried!]
"If you have not got the desire and you do not want to compete, then you are going to be in big trouble.
"There was no work or determination in our play, with or without the ball. You have to have that.
"Teams will be watching this and believe that if you out-battle Leeds, you will win. Okay, we lost to Birmingham, but that was a battle and everybody tried.
"I have got no excuses and I cannot explain that performance. I feel sorry for the Leeds fans, they deserve better than that."
"I cannot justify a performance like that to them. If they go out and have a right good go, and lose, then okay you have tried. Supporters will accept that.
"I do not want supporters to accept what went on out there, because I cannot accept it. It was lucky it was not more than four."
Reid intends to try and shake things up. He said: "There will be changes, but I cannot keep hammering people in training. I am doing that now and it is not very enjoyable."
" I do not know what to say. All I ask is for them to go out on the pitch and earn the right to play, it is not too much to ask for is it?
"Everton were simply better than us all over the pitch in every department. They showed more desire than us, passed it better than us and from a Leeds United point of view it was a very, very disappointing day. We didn't defend well. Everton have got a real physical presence and we didn't deal with it. We didn't win enough tackles."
Hmm, haven't we heard all this before? There's only so many times a manager can go ballistic before players begin to ignore it. In the end it is tactical and organizational ability that will help the team win not decibels or crash course in gutter-English. Come on Peter start using your football brain and communicate it to the players.
Reid quote of the day: "It was no surprise when we conceded and no surprise when we kept conceding."
26th, September, 2003
The Prof Apologises to Fans
Leeds United chairman John McKenzie has publicly apologised to fans who attended Wednesday's Carling Cup clash with Swindon Town, at Elland Road.
Many fans didn't get to their seats until after half-time. This was apparently caused by fans turning up on the night and wanting to pay on the gate, which in turn caused delays for fans with tickets.
The attendance at Elland Road was 29,211. Though not impressive by the standards of recent seasons with virtual full-houses for every game, this season has seen attendances fall to the 34,000 mark for the visit of Southampton. So to get just 6000 less for a 2nd Round Carling Cup tie is remarkable. Sensible pricing by Leeds United clearly helped the attendance. Indeed the attendance was larger than that at Manchester City for their UEFA Cup clash with Lokeren and dwarfed those at other Carling Cup crowds at Middlesbrough, Bolton, and Everton
Leeds United chairman, Prof. John McKenzie told Yorkshire Evening Post,
"The fans of this club sometimes amaze me. For so many to turn out for what might be considered a low-profile fixture says much about their commitment.
"The trouble was that up to 3,500 people turned up after 6.30 seeking tickets, many of them wanting to pay at the gate. The last time we took cash in this way was in 1997.
"I am truly sorry that a small percentage of people were caught up in the snarl and they have my unreserved apology.
"But there are lessons to be learned, and the way to ensure full entertainment is to pre-book tickets and turn up in good time.
"I was staggered by the attendance and would like to thank people for supporting us at this difficult period in our history."
As the price of admission was just a tenner rather than £30-35, no doubt many thought it meant you could pay on the gate. After all, many long-time Leeds fans who simply cannot afford the current admission prices must have relished a chance to see their team for a reasonable price. Most would not have thought they would have had to apply for tickets days before the game for just a tenner! Given sub-capacity attendances, and at a time of parlous finances and lower ticket sales, clearly the club must consider "cash on the gate" entrance at future home ties. No doubt the Police and FA will want to put their oar in regarding safety and segregation, but the club needs the money and the authorities have to be behave less like old women.
Besides, all-ticket games don't guarantee a trouble free match, look at the outright thuggery and public disorder displayed by the Cardiff City fans attacking Leeds United fans during the controversial all-ticket FA Cup tie in Cardiff. Segregation didn't stop the violence, it's hard to stop missiles flying over the barriers! It was caused by ineffectual, negligent policing by a South Wales Police Force hiding violent criminals within its own ranks; a club employing convicted football hooligans as stewards and bodyguards to a gormless Chairman whose asinine antics in front of the away fans would have got an ordinary fan arrested for behaviour likely to cause a breach of the peace (if there had been a policeman worthy of the name on duty that day!); and finally by fans who knew from frequent past misdeeds that no matter have badly they behaved the cowardice of the FA of Wales would ensure they we free to blight other football grounds across England the following week.
So, we believe Leeds United should take money on the gate. Any public safety threat will be nullified by: Carefully selected Police Officers, earning their overtime by putting their expensive training to use and policing the crowds rather than leaving it all to amateur, Leeds-baiting Stewards; the Chairman Prof McKenzie, must resist the urge to walk around the ground inciting the crowd as he goes and then standing in front of the away fans making a complete pillock of himself and driving the away fans into a raging fury; the FA of England should ignore the embarrassingly supine behaviour of its Welsh counter-part and insist on the closure of grounds where the home fans behave like rampaging Visigoths, and the deduction of points from the visiting team where the away fans act like the SS Totenkopf Division on steroids. (At least that will ensure the relegation of Cardiff Shitty should the Premiership ever be cursed with the malevolent presence of their 70's time-warp, knuckle-dragging, "fans").
Satan?
19th September, 2003 Ripper Ridsdale Keeps Shares
Leeds fans will be dismayed to read reports that Peter Ridsdale is keeping his shareholding in Leeds United! Despite taking over Barnsley, the slug cannot do the decent thing and sever all ties with the club he has severely disabled for the next two decades.
Ripper Ridsdale is reported to own about three million shares, which cost him over £300,000 but, after his careful managing of the club the stock market now rates it as being worth just £97,500. Still it's not like he needs the money after the disgracefully large golden handshake he got from the club of over £300,000, for being... er... crap. Most of us wouldn't have the gall to take it, but you don't get as rich as Ridsdale without consummate cheek; like, for example, making yourself more highly paid than the Directors of Man Utd whilst financially eviscerating the club and winning nothing. I don't know about living the dream, but I definitely think he was on another planet when he ran the club.
Satan told the Evening Post: "I am keeping my shares in Leeds United because I believe in the future of the club," (now that I've left?)
"I have been a Leeds supporter all of my life and I see no reason why that should change now" (because you're running a rival team perhaps?)
"It is all above board. I checked with both the Football League and Football Association and they informed me that I would not be breaking any laws in keeping them." (There, that's all right then. Just because two outmoded, archaic institutions have not updated their club ownership laws since the time of the South Sea Bubble, slavery and child prostitution, Satan gets to ruin another club whilst benefitting from the shit-clearing job his successors are doing at Elland Road).
Sammy Davis Junior?
16th September, 2003 Reaction to Leicester defeat
I was going to do an in depth story on the reaction to last night's defeat to Leicester City, quoting the manager and players. But, better still, here's the reaction of two long-time friends and two long-time Leeds United supporters.
Shameful Embarrassing, Humiliating.
And that's just Rocque Junior (might as well have played Sammy Davies Junior)
A bunch of hapless mercenries playing with no passion whatsoever.
Going down , Going down.
Reid out Ash
And the reaction gets no better from Dave:
Is it me, or was that the worst performance by a Leeds team in the last 30 years, if not ever?
Second to practically every ground ball and any ball in the air was a threat as we couldn't defend.
Have these players actually been introduced to each other? Since when was Kelly a dead ball specialist? Answer, he isn't and never will be. Plus, if you don't get a tackle in...................
It's rare for me to leave a pub before the final whistle [or ever! Ed.], even if we are losing but I just couldn't stomach any more after Radebe's (watch me turn on a sixpence boys!) mistake allowed their third. Glad I missed the final coffin nail.
Congratulations to Roque Junior, the only player who looks likes he's just woken up and plays like he's still asleep.
Viduka, head down as usual, not interested. Smith, out of touch. Johnson, never in touch. Kelly, should be kicked into touch.
Can't wait for the Birmingham game.......................no, of course I can!
How come Deano didn't score, he MUST be crap.
Disillusioned Dave.
Despite a boatload of injuries and suspensions the crisp-munchers of Leicester humbled an experimental Leeds side tonight. The two unanswered goals in each half could easily have been three or four. The first two goals were stunning. A 30-yard 60mph volley by Nalis and Dickov's chest and volley strike where both memorable.
The game saw forgettable debuts by Olembe, and Domi and Roque who were both booked. Up front Viduka looked laboured, slow and unfit; Smith seemed subdued, so much so he didn't get booked; Sakho saw a lot of the ball but was ineffective and subbed late on by Lennon; Morris and Johnson were ineffective; Pennant saw a lot of the ball and was the most impressive Leeds player on show. The defence was appalling, and the played like five players who'd only just met. erm, well they had! Roque Junior has been trailing around the world on international duty with Brazil and it showed that he'd had no time with his new mates - a gamble by Reid that backfired, as he was hardly with the pace of the game, constantly out of position, out-jumped and out-thought by an eager Leicester team. Frankly Robinson looks like he could do with giving the Mars bars a miss, then maybe he could move his feet a bit quicker, the first goal was stoppable if he'd moved sooner; I admit I am a Nigel Martyn fan who would have not sold him and he would be in for the next game if I was in charge!
To give Reid a break I have to say it was the first chance he'd had with all his new players and they are going to need time to get to know one another, and each others languages! Roque Junior is probably lucky Reid doesn't know the Portugese for "fecking shite". I suspect most Leeds fans will be disappointed by his display, he was built up by the media and by his own career record of success at the highest level. But tonight he reminded me of how 18-year old trialist Jole Sammi played against York City. It wasn't pretty, it wasn't effective and it was worrying! Congratulations to ex-Leeds player and Leicester manager, Mickey Adams. This was a relegation six-pointer and we lost...
Excellent news for the team and fans alike: Michael Bridges is due to make a comeback in the reserves against Liverpool, next week. Let's keep our fingers crossed for the lad. His career needs a season without injury and we could do with a comeback from a 20-goals a season striker!
Speaking of strikers, Leeds United's Chairman, Prof McKenzie has said today that if Alan Smith were sold he would leave. (Compare and contrast with Ripper Ridsdale's dishonourable conduct: his reaction to selling SIX international first-teamers, to pay off debts he had made by "gambling", was to portray it as a courageous step only he had the balls to make!) Whilst it is good to hear such an unequivocal statement you must wonder why he felt the need to make it. Was he sending a message to other Directors on the board? But for now we are happy to accept the statement as yet another sign to other clubs that the Leeds' fire sale is now over.
Were Kewell and Bowyer the cause of a hoodoo over Leeds United?
The evidence: remember the seemingly endless list of injuries we suffered over the time O'Leary and then Venables was in charge? It never seemed to end, we brought in Brian Kidd, the club doctor made special protective gear but some players almost never seemed fit. But now Kewell has left for Liverpool and our injury problems have nearly cleared up. Even Seth Johnson has played more than two consecutive games, Batty is fit, as is Radebe - even Bridges is due for a comeback. But O'Leary and Kidd have left also I hear you say? Yes, but look what happened this week at Liverpool. Kewell's new team mates suffered TWO broken legs in one match and Chris Kirkland was injured in the warm-up to an U-21 game! Even Riise got smacked in the mouth by a team mate on the team coach! Harry Kewell is the footballing equivalent of Typhoid Mary".
But what about Bowyer? He was a performance hoodoo! After he decided that he wasn't going to sign the contract last season, he let down both Terry Venables and the fans by turning in some below-average performances and committing the totally unacceptable face stomp in the EUFA Cup which led to a six match ban. An irritated Leeds off-loaded the burnt-out former Champions League star to West Ham. How did he respond now playing for his boyhood heroes? He turned in more invisible performances and saw his Hammers relegated. Totally in character, he abandoned the team he "loved"; it wasn't in his plans to "do an Alan Smith" and stay and try an get them out of the First Division. The selfish little thug moved to Newcastle. So what has happened to the Bowyer-handicapped Barcodes? They lose a penalty shoot-out in the Asia Cup final; they crash out of the qualifying round of the Champions League and lose out on £10,000,000; they end up fourth bottom of the Premiership after five games of the season; and the only player who can score is Shearer and only if the ref gives 'em a penalty! Stunning - well done rat-boy! Meanwhile, things are looking up at Elland Road, there's a buzz about the place and the fans are optomistic after several exciting loan signing. And even managerless West Ham are challenging for a promotion place! Lee David Bowyer condemns to failure any team for which he plays. Good riddance!
Steve Gibson, who is the money behind Middlesbrough, has said that he wants to make Danny Mills' move to "Millsbrough" permanent! Although we paid £4,000,000 to Charlton for Mills and made him an England player, it is mooted that they may only offer £3,000,000 for him. However, it will give Reid the money to make down payments on any of our loan signings who prove to be a success. We need to commit to signing those players that we want to keep, at the agreed prices, by end of January. Otherwise, the prices can go up, especially if they've proved a success whilst they are with us. So it may be goodbye Danny and hello Lamine, Didier, Zoumana and Salomon!
There were mixed fortunes for United in their two Academy fixtures on Saturday. The U-19's recorded their first win of the season with a single goal success over Man City, but the U-17's conceded their first goals of the season as they went down to a 3-0 defeat at Everton.
Peter Reid has been criticised in some quarters for taking Jermaine Pennant on loan from Arsenal and loaning out home-grown James Milner to Second Division Swindon. We think it is a good decision, Pennant has done well and Reid himself has said,
"James has had a game at league level and he's going to get more while we're not playing him. I know Andy King well and the move can only enhance his football education.
"I did it with a young Garry Flitcroft years ago when he was at Manchester City and he went to Bury. There have been others, so I can't understand people having anything against it."
Since then Milner has made his home Swindon debut in a 1-0 win over Wrexham and apparently he did it in some style. The 17-year-old left the field to a standing ovation and only the heroics of visiting keeper Andy Dibble prevented him from rattling in two goals.
He said: "I thought we played really well in the first half. They came into it more after the break but we deserved the three points."
"I had a few chances, particularly the one where I've tried to knock it over the keeper but credit to him, he's made a good save."
A warm welcome from the County Ground faithful has also helped Milner to settle quickly. He said: "It is nice to hear your name being chanted and it really helps your confidence. The crowd are really passionate here and it's certainly a lot more competitive than reserve team football. I'm here to learn and you learn something new with each game you play."
Some things he doesn't have to learn - he's already a Leeds player as the following statement makes clear: "Hopefully people can see that I am the sort of player who works hard for the team - whether going forward, in midfield or helping out in defence. I want to be the best I can in all departments." And you will be James, eventually, and in a white shirt.
David Wright of Crewe - A Reid target?
Saturday, 6th September, 2003 Wright Decision?
David Wright, 23-year old first choice right back of Crewe Alexandra, said he was gutted that Leeds, didn't put in a bid for him on transfer deadline day.
Wright spent a day with Leeds United on Monday last week and after talking to Peter Reid he was hoping the Leeds boss would put a bid in for him but it didn't happen, despite many reports.
He spoke to CreweAlex.net today:
"I spoke to Peter Reid afterwards and thought something was going to happen but it didn't.
"I'm gutted that nothing happened, because I want to play at the highest level. There were two teams, Leeds and Fulham, who are doing really well, so i want to move on and improve myself.
"I'm still at Crewe, and I'll keep playing well and by the time the window re-opens in January I might have impressed someone to start thinking about me"
