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Football News: Can Leeds Prosper Under Cellino's Rule

Can Leeds Prosper Under Cellino's Rule
Image from: 2900miles.com

He has been labeled as a madman, by himself as well as others, but one thing Massimo Cellino is not, is stupid. Until recently, he was owner of Serie A side Cagliari, helping them to punch well above their weight with shrewd purchases and sales of players, but destabilising them with regular managerial changes.

Having failed to buy West Ham United, back in 2010, in 2014 Cellino agreed a deal to buy Leeds United instead, selling Cagliari to complete a deal. Sadly for Leeds fans, who had suffered through the reigns of Peter Ridsdale and his fish tank, followed by the brutal and distasteful rule of a man who admitted to hating Leeds fans with a passion, Ken Bates, Cellino's time has been difficult.

With a conviction for fraud hanging over Cellino's head, the Football League, led by one time Bates right hand man (and responsible for a number of clubs being forced into administration) Shaun Harvey was almost visibly gleeful at the opportunity to block Cellino's ascension to the role of owner as failing the League's fit and proper persons test. It does beg the question, how can Harvey and Karl Oyston, among others, be allowed to have any involvement in these decisions, when both are as far from fit and proper persons as could be found in English football?

That is not the area I want to get into, as it would require a whole website turned over to just pointing out the pair's deficiencies, so I will return to the Leeds issue. With Cellino in charge, his tendency to react impetously, especially with regards to managers, can Leeds return to the Premier League, or will his combustible nature hold them back?

Signs so far are, as ever with Cellino, mixed, for every good thing he has done, there is another that is a mistake, usually an impulsive decision that the club comes to regret. For all the fiery latin temperament, Mr. Cellino obviously does have a good understanding of the game, wanting to surround himself with football people, but his understanding of the local culture is not quite as strong.

This is Yorkshire, and while times are changing, still people are not keen on constant change, they like stability, the fans want to see a good solid base, preferably one that costs as little as possible. The fans want to see promises kept, such as the one made regarding buying the stadium back, so that they can have some trust and faith in the man in charge.

Right now, it is difficult for them to trust in a man who promises things, but fails to keep those promises. Promising a stadium but producing new sprinklers (despite their ratcheted risers) is not going to earn the fans' trust. Without their trust, they are going to struggle to have faith, without faith they will not scrimp and save to afford tickets when times are hard.

Making choices such as keeping hold of Rudolph Austin, with just 6 months left on his contract, rather than taking a £500,000 offer on the table from Wigan Athletic, because the manager wants to keep him, shows he is prioritising the team. If Cellino can deliver on the stadium, then there is nothing stopping him returning Leeds to the top flight, the only real question then will be what ambitions will he show once there?

Written by Tris Burke June 16 2015 08:26:24