http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/latest-whites-news/leeds-united-so-what-s-stopping-the-flood-of-new-arrivals-ordered-by-neil-1-4586258
By Gary Walker Published on Friday 25 May 2012 14:27 When I suggested a fortnight ago that Leeds United chairman Ken Bates needed to get a move on in the transfer market, opinion, it's fair to say, was mixed. Nonsense said some fans, far too early with the domestic season not yet over, said others. A portion felt I was simply pushing an anti-Bates bandwagon - not true - while some supporters even agreed with me. When Neil Warnock replaced Simon Grayson in the dugout he called for unity and an end to the protests against Mr Bates. The support duly responded but the chairman continues to fight with sections - the Leeds United Supporters Trust in particular - of the fanbase. And when the season fizzled out in a mid-table finish it took a series of meetings between Warnock - the right appointment by a country mile - and the owner to convince the new boss that Leeds would give him the tools to carry out the necessary and wide-ranging shake-up of the playing staff. The existing squad, as every match-going regular knew last August, was not good enough to sustain a challenge for promotion - and that was before Max Gradel's pace and goals were sold at the end of that month's transfer window. It was also before captain Jonny Howson was sold to Premier League new boys Norwich City - a side, don't forget, who were promoted from League One at the same time as the Elland Roaders - in the next window. Warnock, speaking on April 12, told the YEP: "Before I spoke to the chairman I possibly did have doubts about next season. I said when I first came here that I didn't want to be around mid-table. Next season's a big season for me. "I don't want to work many more years and if I felt we couldn't get up there then it would be pointless picking up my money just to put a team out. I've never been like that. "The chairman knows how desperate I am - and you can use that word because I am desperate - to bring the players in who can give me the success I want. The incentive for me is a record eight promotions." Having been reassured the Whites were serious about a shot at reaching the Premier League in 2012-13, Warnock revealed he hoped to have at least three new signings, possibly as many as five, in by the end of May. Centre-back Jason Pearce was snapped up for around £500,000 from relegated and financially-crippled Portsmouth in the first week, but despite repeated links with his Fratton Park team-mate Joel Ward and Derby County's out-of-contract midfielder Paul Green, no-one else has arrived. And in the weeks since, United's leading scorer from last season Ross McCormack has rejected the offer of a new contract. But, most damaging of all, new club captain Robert Snodgrass, second in the scoring charts and top of the club's assists league, has again questioned their ambition. The 24-year-old did the same when Howson was shipped out, after the Leeds-born man stalled over a new deal, but on Wednesday Snodgrass made it clear how pivotal to his future it was to see quality, new signings through the door by the start of next month. "I said that I wanted to take a few weeks away from everything, not make any decisions and we will start speaking in June," said the Scot, who has also been offered a new contract and, like McCormack, is entering the final year of his existing one. "But I am living in the real world. If things change in terms of bringing players in and getting Premier League class and kicking-on, then it's a no-brainer. You sign the contract and move on. "The chairman is trying to put a bit of pressure on me. He's telling me what plans he has got for the club. But they told me the same type of plans the season before and it didn't work out. So it's hard to buy into these things again." Meanwhile, another local lad, Aidy White, is yet to agree the latest contract offer and looks set to head - like Jermaine Beckford, Bradley Johnson and Neil Kilkenny before him - for pastures new. Anyone else getting twitchy yet? Warnock must be. He wants a revamped squad in place as soon as possible to give him the best chance of a fast start come August. Little wonder, then, there have been at least two major, albeit Twitter-inspired, rumours suggesting the 63-year-old has quit a post he only took up in February. So what's going on at Elland Road? Why can't United afford to make free signings and cough up what are relatively modest fees - by today's standards at any rate - to fulfil the manager's wishes? In their defence Leeds are not alone in playing the waiting game. Most clubs will hold on until existing contracts run out on June 30, after players and managers have taken their end-of-season breaks, before starting business in earnest. Part of the problem for Leeds could be that the bulk of season ticket renewals - which have fallen in any case - took place early in the new year and there is no match-day income to use. Hence why, some argue, Mr Bates is trying to develop Elland Road into a 365-day-a-year money-making venture by boosting East Stand facilities and promoting the likes of Billy's Bar and Howard's restaurant. Great, the club can use that income then? However, do enough people actually use these facilities on non-match days to create a sizeable transfer budget? Okay, what about money raised from early sales of the latest home shirt or the club's new two-year sponsorship deal with Enterprise Insurance? But what fans want to know is why is it United, who made a £3.5m profit up to the end of June 2011 - a period which didn't include the sales of Gradel and Howson never mind goalkeeper Kasper Schmeichel - cannot invest in the team now? Mr Bates could always put in £6m of his own money under the Football League's newly-agreed financial fairplay rules, assuming his money isn't tied up in assets. Maybe there will be more cash free, for wages at least, when the contracts for Ben Parker, Mika Vayrynen, Alex Bruce, Mikael Forssell, Lloyd Sam and goalkeeper Maik Taylor expire. But how many of Warnock's first-choice targets will have gone elsewhere by then because they need to sort their futures out and provide for families? It's a case of deja vu so far this close season for anyone who follows Leeds - certainly since 2008 - when only three signings have been announced in May (Andy Robinson, Schmeichel and Pearce), but that's the exact opposite of what Warnock planned, wanted or needed. Come on Ken, spend big on the team, back your manager, restore fans' faith, get more people back through the turnstiles and the club will reap the rewards accordingly. Or maybe it's simply time to accept you can't take Leeds any further and go. Judging by the correspondence and phone calls the Yorkshire Evening Post receive there is very little goodwill left and crowds, like season-ticket sales, are dropping - down 4,000 last term. The last thing United fans need now is to see Warnock decide he's had enough and turn those premature tweets into reality. _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: http://mailman.greennet.org.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected] PETE CASS (1962 - 2011) Rest In Peace Mate
