EPL Talk » leeds united

Gary McAllister Agrees To Join The Portsmouth Fight

Paul Bestall — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 22:20:21 +0000

It sounds as if Gary McAllister is about to named as Paul Hart’s assistant manager tomorrow morning. Reports coming from Radio Solent are claiming that McAllister, after turning down the same role under George Burley with the Scottish national team last week, has agreed to join Pompey. After the start that Paul Hart has had to endure with the loss of a team over the summer and then being expected to form one in about 3 days, he’ll be glad of the help.

McAllister’s reasoning for turning the Scotland offer down was that he wanted a full time position in English club football and it seems his chance has now arrived. It’s certainly a baptism of fire but when you’ve worked for Ken Bates, you can turn your hand to most situations without any fear at all. After being out of football for nearly 10 months, since being sacked from Leeds United on December 21st, it sees a welcome return for the likable Scotsman to the Premiership.

McAllister could actually do with such a position after two ill feted managerial positions at Coventry City and Leeds United. Both clubs had varying pressures that McAllister struggled to cope with, Coventry were desperate to return to the Premiership as quickly as possible but McAllister’s personal life was thrown in to turmoil when his wife was diagnosed with breast cancer. He resigned in January 2004 to spend more time with her, but she sadly passed away in March 2006.

Leeds United were struggling to overcome the shock of Dennis Wise and Gus Poyet leaving, when McAllister came to the club and they managed to get to the play off final, but lost in a shock defeat at the hands of Doncaster Rovers. After that, it was always going to be tough for McAllister and a shock defeat to non-league Histon in the F.A. Cup sent the club into free fall.

Now he’s got a chance to come in as an assistant manager and cut his teeth in an environment where he can learn more than simply taking the managers job at a club he used to play for. There’s no pressure from supporters who remember him strolling around the midfield, spraying balls to all corners of the park. There’s nowhere else for Portsmouth to go and Paul Hart has continued to rise above the ridiculous levels of media pressure on his position.

The two go back to their time together at Leeds United, when Hart was in charge of the youth academy and McAllister was the club captain. This is not a decision based on a whim, the two obviously know each other well and are aware of each others strengths and weaknesses. The existing relationship could be crucial in allowing the duo to hit the ground running and Portsmouth aren’t too far away from getting some points on the board.

Hart has had to suffer the biggest asset stripping seen at a Premiership club since Leeds United’s implosion in 2003-2004. Yet he had to go through something similar when he was the manager of Nottingham Forest as the club desperately tried to recover the money that David Platt had blown in his dreadful tenure as manger.The irony of the situation will not be lost on him at all, but at least is should stand him in good stead.

Live from Leeds: United Shine in Carling Cup against Liverpool

Alex Caulfield — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:09:51 +0000

Though Beckford and Leeds fell short, the Yorkshiremen proved up to the challenge against Liverpool.

Somewhere between Leeds and Manchester on the M62 I was able to truly digest my four-day jaunt back to my native land for the third round of the Carling Cup. Working in football in the United States is a great privilege, and in Pacific Northwest the advent of Seattle Sounders FC has been a revelation for Major League Soccer. However, there is simply no substitute for a strong dose of the English game. As soon as I got off the plane and began preparing for the third round tie between Leeds United and Liverpool old emotions began flooding back.

Long before kickoff all of Yorkshire was buzzing with conversation about this massive fixture. I was reminded of match-ups between these storied northern clubs that took place during my childhood. There were numerous references to Mark Viduka, Tony Yeboah, and other Leeds legends that put Liverpool to the sword in ‘the good old days’. Despite the fact that Leeds and Liverpool had not played one another in five years, the atmosphere on match day was strangely familiar. Leeds city centre was stuffed with United supporters, as many of the old guard came out of the woodwork for this unique encounter. In every pub classic anthems like “In Your Liverpool Slums” and “Only Sing When You’re Stealing” echoed in jubilation, and I had to be careful to conceal my Liverpool leanings. My father and his mates reveled in my discomfort, and after several hours of banter the supporters began boarding coaches for Elland Road.

Predictably, the motorway resembled a car park, and the heavily inebriated Leeds mob forced the doors of the coach open in mid traffic. A sea of white and blue washed over the road, and in the distance Elland Road loomed ominously over the eager supporters. While this historic football ground is revered by the Leeds faithful, away fans approach Elland Road with caution during their respective visits. This was no different for the red and white clad Liverpool horde, and a large police presence was on hand to snuff out any trouble. As helicopters circled the ground with their spotlights aimed at the hooligan element, my large party of family and friends dipped inside the Peacock for one last pint before kickoff.

Fortress Elland Road

The atmosphere in the pub and around the ground was simply electric. It was as if the years had been rolled back to reveal a fixture between two of the top teams in England competing for Champions League positioning. Yet nothing could be further from the truth. Prior to the match, Leeds United manager Simon Grayson stated that he did not want his side to be distracted from the League One campaign. While this one-off fixture with Liverpool presented a wonderful opportunity for Leeds, Grayson wisely played down the Carling Cup tie to keep his side on task. Leeds are two leagues and forty places below their Scouse counterparts in the English football pyramid, and few were expecting the Yorkshire club to push Liverpool.

Yet as the supporters filed into the ground there was a sense that Leeds were truly up for this big occasion. The Elland Road end was filled with 7,000 Liverpool supporters, as the boisterous Mereysiders stretched from the Lowfields paddock all the way to the West Stand. While these individuals delivered a powerful rendition of “The Fields of Anfield Road”, Leeds United’s supporters refused to be outdone and responded in kind with an overwhelming version of “Marching on Together”. These competing sets of supporters created a cacophony of noise, and Liverpool defender Jamie Carragher hailed the atmosphere as, “One of the best in England.” Leeds routinely draw over 25,000 people to League One matches, but on this occasion Elland Road was packed to the hilt with a capacity crowd of 40,000 on hand. The noise inside the stadium was hair raising, and United’s form on the pitch only increased the fervor.

Unlike many lower league sides that encounter Premier League opposition in cup ties, Leeds did not panic against the likes of Carragher, Javier Mascherano, and Ryan Babel. Liverpool manager Raphael Benitez was even forced to bring on Steven Gerrard and Glen Johnson in the later stages of the match, while Fernando Torres eagerly roamed the touchline. Leeds played their usual brand of dynamic football, maintaining consistent build-up through the midfield and feeding the ball to star target man Jermaine Beckford. The Whites attacked beautifully, and on 13 minutes Beckford headed the ball towards Luciano Becchio who placed an attempt into the back of the Liverpool net. With an early 1-0 lead, United supporters shook the stands with their emphatic celebrations. Unfortunately, the center official waived the goal off after the linesman declared both Beckford and Becchio offside. Television replay revealed that this call was inaccurate and that the goal was indeed valid, but Leeds could do nothing to plead their case.

While United mounted several other scoring opportunities, including a point blank attempt on goal by Beckford, Leeds were unable to find the back of the net again. Liverpool withstood the pressure and claimed a 1-0 lead through David Ngog in the 66^th minute, sending the away end into raucous scenes of merriment. The Merseysiders retained their lead until the final whistle, but Leeds proved their worth against one of the top sides in the country. Grayson could not hide his admiration after the match, stating, “Nobody expected us to win this game apart from the players in our dressing room and, if you speak to them, they’re gutted.”

The Carling Cup is often viewed as an inferior competition contrasted with league and FA Cup campaigns, but you wouldn’t know that at Elland Road on Tuesday evening. Leeds supporters left the stadium with their heads held high and a feeling of satisfaction, knowing that their side played with the grit and pride that is associated with their iconic white shirt. Liverpool boss Raphael Benitez hailed the home support in his first appearance at Elland Road, and the Anfield manager appeared relived to have claimed a result at the end of the night.

A worthy applause for the Yorkshire Whites.

Although I was off to Eastlands the next day to see Manchester City take on Fulham in continued Carling Cup action, the conversation revolved around Leeds’ performance late into the night. At Del Rio’s Italian restaurant in York (a regular finishing point for my football group), United supporters lamented missed opportunities, but ultimately there was a feeling of pride in the club’s efforts. For a side that has been relegated twice in four years and suffered a fifteen-point deduction, this was indeed a good thing.

Leeds supporters are many things but no one can accuse them of disloyalty. As the club anthem states, “We’ve been through it all together, and we’ve had our ups and downs.” For now it seems that the downward spiral may have ended, and if Leeds can continue to maintain pole position in League One, it may not be too long before Liverpool return to Elland Road.

Leeds United v Liverpool; Two English Giants Reunite in Carling Cup

Alex Caulfield — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:29:11 +0000

Much has been made of the demise of Leeds United AFC. We are all familiar with the tale of gross overspending, Ridsdale’s goldfish, and a descent into the third tier of English football. Football supporters have little sympathy for a club that reached the quarterfinals of the Champions League in 2001 and are now playing in League One due to its own negligence. Yet only the Manchester City faithful can truly understand such a fall from grace, as Leeds have plummeted to the depths of the Football League.

However, a temporary shot at redemption has been offered to the Yorkshire giants from an unlikely source: the Carling Cup. Often overlooked as a lesser competition by Premier League outfits, the League Cup presents an opportunity for clubs outside the English topflight to claim a prominent piece of silverware. While the big boys of English football are suffocated by fixture congestion, clubs in the remaining Football League divisions are ready to take advantage of their opportunities. Typically League Cup fixtures don’t become enticing until the fourth round of the competition, but this year the third round presents an array of intriguing match-ups.

Headlining the fixture list is the September 22 contest between Leeds United and Liverpool Football Club. I will be covering this captivating encounter live from Elland Road for EPL Talk, as the two northern sides have not met since 2004. This is a match that is weighted in history and tradition, and for me personally the game is extremely significant. My father is a life-long Leeds supporter, and he has been a season ticket holder at Elland Road for over thirty years. Meanwhile I represent a Scouse contingent of the family that is partial to Liverpool FC, and tensions will be running high in my family on match day.

This fixture was once a marquee match-up in the English First Division, featuring names like Keegan, Bremner, Giles, Dalglish, and Lorimer. Bill Shankly famously managed his last match as Liverpool gaffer against Brian Clough’s controversial Leeds United side in the 1974 Community Shield. While Liverpool claimed a result on penalties, this match is often remembered for the bloody altercation between Kevin Keegan and Billy Bremner. These two clubs were among the most dominant teams on the continent throughout this era, as Leeds captured the Inter-Cities Fairs Cup twice and Liverpool began their assault on the European Cup.

Even as the game moved into the Premier League era, Leeds-Liverpool matches produced an array of memorable moments. Mark Viduka scored a hat trick against the Merseysiders at Elland Road in 2000, while one year later Gerard Houllier suffered a heart attack at Anfield against the Yorkshire club. There was even a certain degree of crossover between the two clubs, as Kop idols Ian Rush and Robbie Fowler both spent time at Elland Road. Even until United’s relegation to the Championship in 2004 these two clubs were often jockeying for Champions League eligibility, with several current Premier League stars (Ferdinand, Keane, Bowyer, etc.) propelling Leeds onward.

Today the mighty Whites can be seen playing the likes of Walsall and Stockport County, but with Elland Road sold out for Tuesday’s match this Carling Cup third round tie will be a high-profile encounter between old foes. Having nearly returned to the Championship during the past two seasons, Leeds appear primed to rise from the ashes this campaign. Currently tied for first place atop League One, Simon Grayson’s side may just be able to take advantage of a harried Liverpool squad. Currently Steven Gerrard and company are competing in the group stage of the UEFA Champions League while simultaneously attempting to get their Premier League campaign back on track.

Leeds United are led Jermaine Beckford, the top scorer in the Football League over the past two seasons. While highly touted winger Fabian Delph departed for Aston Villa in the transfer season, the Whites have had little trouble scoring goals in the early portion of the season. Whatever happens EPL Talk will be there to bring you live coverage of the match, so be sure to check back in following Tuesday’s action.

Why Can’t David Healy Score In The Premiership

Paul Bestall — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 21:52:58 +0000

If you were your country’s top scorer with a healthy 35 goals in 73 appearances, chances are you’d be an established top league player in most countries in Europe. Add to that record a career that has seen you start out at Manchester United and take in spells at Leeds United, Sunderland and Fulham, you’d expect a pretty good record. Yet, if that player was David Healy, you’d be scratching your head.

Here’s a man who scored a hat trick against Spain in September 2006. In fact, during qualifying matches for the 2008 European Championships, Healy bagged an incredible 13 goals in 12 games, making him the top scorer in qualifying for the tournament. Yet in the last 18 months he’s scored just 2 Premier League goals in 20 matches and his time at Sunderland has seen him struggle to maintain a place in the starting line up.

His time under Roy Keane never really took off and when Keane walked out after spending the best part of £100 million to make a team worse, his replacement, Ricky Sbragia preferred pragmatism to striking options and played with only Kenwyne Jones up front. As he’s just turned 30, is it too late for him to force himself into Steve Bruce’s plans? With Darren Bent joining over the summer, Healy has yet to play any Premiership football so far this season.

Healy has almost had the reversal of some players careers, in that he is so prolific at international level, but so inconsistent at domestic level. How is it that someone can score 35 goals against sides such as Sweden, Spain and Denmark, yet struggle to score more than 15 goals in a league season? He’s managed that feat only once, in 2003-04 when he was at Preston and currently has scored a total of 90 goals in English domestic football.

He’s the only player to score a hat trick twice for Northern Ireland; even George Best never managed that, but only scored one in league football. I doubt I can remember a striker with such a strange record in the modern era. When he joined Fulham in 2007, it was supposedly the move that would finally see Healy establish himself as a top flight striker but he only scored 4 Premier League goals for the Cottagers. He hit two in his first two league appearances, so then hit 2 in another 28 games.

How is it possible? I don’t understand it at all. When you look at someone who was the complete opposite, Ian Wright, who was so prolific at league level but only scored 9 goals for England in 31 games. Or even Andrew Cole, with just one international goal to his name in 15 games but 289 throughout his domestic career.

Healy has the talent, his international record cannot be a continual series of flukes spread over a series of years. If anything, the early part of his international career could be written off, as Northern Ireland struggled to win any game for nearly16 matches and two years between 2002 and 2004. His international career is currently going through a similar spell, with only 1 goal in his last 12 appearances. No doubt a hangover from his domestic struggles but Healy is an international footballing enigma.

The question is can he finally find the right relationship with Steve Bruce at Sunderland to finally ignite the touch paper under his career? Northern Ireland’s fans will be hoping he can find his form as soon as possible.Unfortunately they need him to be in form right now, but the next match could see him end his bad run and if he ever needed to do it, now is the time.

Wednesday night sees them entertain the group leaders Slovakia and a win will put Northern Ireland top of the group and just one game away from a return to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 and wouldn’t that be a phenomenal achievement.

Welcome Back To The Premiership Wolves

Paul Bestall — Mon, 20 Apr 2009 21:18:49 +0000

So, 5 years after relegation, the famous Black and Gold strip of Wolverhampton Wanderers has made a belated return to the Premiership after Saturdays tense 1-0 win over Queens Park Rangers at Molineux. It’s an impressive return from a complete turn around from the side relegated from the Premiership under Dave Jones back in 2003-2004 season, Jones was unable to push them back up and was replaced by Glenn Hoddle but he also failed in his attempt to return Wolves back to the Premiership.

It was the choice to replace Hoddle with Mick McCarthy in the Summer of 2006 that saw the green shoots of recovery appear at Wolves. Taking over a team short on confidence and players, the expectations were for a tough season of mid-table mediocrity, but McCarthy exceeded all expectations by steering his collection of youth players and experienced Championship players to the play offs, before ultimately losing in the semi finals. Last season saw Wolves make a slow start and crushingly missed out on the play offs by the slimmest of margins, goal difference but the club didn’t panic.It stood by the manager and gave him the funds to strengthen the side for a proper tilt at the title.

The key to this patience was the new owner Steve Morgan, who may be a name familiar to Liverpool fans, as the man who tried to buy the club off the Moores family in 2004 before it all turned a little bit nasty at Anfield and Moores sold the club into a world of debt and petty squabbles under Gillette and Hicks. Morgan was eager to get himself involved in a football club that he could take to the next level and Wolves fitted the bill perfectly.

Morgan amazingly paid £10 to the owner, Sir Jack Hayward, to take over at Wolves but had to promise he would invest £30 million into the club. Morgan has been as good as his word, with his chief executive Jez Moxey and McCarthy working in tandem to identify the hungry and eager players they knew the club needed if it was to get back up to the Premiership. Sylvan Ebanks-Blake was one such signing, at what now looks like a steal from Plymouth Argyle at £1.5 million. In 63 appearances for Wolves so far, he’s scored 37 goals, a remarkable return for the front man.

Now, i’m not going to go on one of those raining on a promotion teams party postings. In fact Wolves are possible one of the strongest clubs in terms of finances coming into the Premiership. They’ve made profits 3 seasons in a row, the owner has invested plenty of money on players and has plenty of cash to throw at the club if they need to invest more money. They know they cannot repeat the mistakes of the 2003-2004 season, when experienced free transfers and old legs just couldn’t gel to keep them in the league.Winning the play offs, left them chasing the sales over the Summer of 2003 and it showed.

They spent a pittance and got what they deserved: relegation.This time it’s completely different, Wolves should stay up easily, as long as McCarthy can attract the right type of player to balance the youthful, pacey and hungry side he’s developed. He’s eager to show that the lack of support he received from the board of Sunderland was a one off, that he can indeed manage at the top level.

Yet, look a the two clubs who came down with them that season, Leeds United and Leicester City. The Foxes have just won the title to return back to the Championship and Leeds will be hoping to follow them in the play offs from Divison One. What they would have given for the stability of Wolves in the same period, Leicester have had an amazing 11 people sat in the dug out since the beginning of 2006, Leeds United have had 7 people in the hot seat. That says a lot about Sir Jack Hayward and Steve Morgan and their refusal to listen to a minority of fans who wanted McCarthy sacked last summer.

Congratulations to Wolves and their passionate fans, I’ll be looking forward to visiting Molineux again next season and I think they’ve got a great season ahead of them in 2009-2010.