I can't believe this sh*te I really cant.
Bates has said that Wise inherited an unfit side where there was backroom
unrest.
I think ACAS would have a field ady with the fallouts that have gone on
since Wise took over and its pretty clear there was a big falling out on
Wednesdays before kells do. As regards getting them fit, perhaps a statto
can confirm this but we must have thrown away more points in the last 10
minutes of our matches than any other team in the Champoinship. My mate's
lad reckons its around 17 points? Look at the games we have lost when the
opposition has been reduced to 10 men (in some cases more) and still lost.
Wise needs to build a new team and with his eye for a player I forecast more
trouble (Kandol, Heath, Foxe need I say more).
I hope the administrator plays by the book and all bids are considered
fairly. I personally want Bates & Wise out and the way I feel now will not
go again until my wish comes true.
We were Leeds
Phill
From: Dave Clark <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Reply-To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
To: [email protected]
Subject: [LU] Revelations or Allegations (take your pick...)
Date: Mon, 07 May 2007 18:37:55 +0100
http://www.yorkshiretoday.co.uk/viewarticle.aspx?sectionid=117&articleid=2858206
How Wise 'was left to clean up mess'
By Richard Sutcliffe
EXCLUSIVE: Ken Bates tells Richard Sutcliffe why he strongly disputes
United's former manager's claim that he would have kept the Elland Road
club up.
KEN BATES has revealed for the first time the extent of the dressing room
unrest Dennis Wise encountered on taking charge of Leeds United.
The former Millwall manager assumed control at Elland Road in October with
United sitting 23rd in the Championship table after a dreadful run of five
straight defeats that saw 18 goals conceded.
Rumours of a split dressing room were circulating at the time and one of
Wise's first moves was to strip Paul Butler of the captaincy and appoint
Kevin Nicholls in his place.
The switch did little to improve matters, however, with Nicholls having the
captain's armband taken off him later in the season by Wise after
requesting a return move to Luton Town.
Bates believes former manager Kevin Blackwell, who was sacked in September
with United second bottom in the table, had lost control of the dressing
room.
The Leeds chairman was, therefore, furious to read claims by Blackwell, now
in charge of Luton, last week that had he remained in charge then the
club's first relegation from the top two divisions would have been avoided.
Bates said: "I am not in the excuse-making business, unlike Mr Blackwell.
But we would have been relegated in December if he had been still here. He
had lost control of the dressing room. It was in disarray.
"The day Dennis Wise took over, he called (then captain) Paul Butler in. I
had suggested to Blackwell to change his captain, but he said 'no'. I think
he was frightened of him.
"Dennis called Butler in and said he was taking the captaincy off him.
Dennis then asked 'do you want to stay?', to which Butler said yes.
"Dennis then said 'so why did you text another manager and say 'get me out
of this club'. There was a silence and I think Butler denied it. But he had
made a mistake because Dennis then said 'the text went to my best friend,
that's why you are not captain any more'."
Leeds have endured a chaotic season with 44 players having appeared for the
club, more than a third of which have been on loan. Relegation is certain
to lead to a clearout with only nine senior first-team players being
contracted beyond the summer, including the likes of David Healy and
Richard Cresswell who are certain to be targeted by other clubs.
Bates said: "It is a clean sheet. Dennis knows already who is going. Some
of them we don't want, some are at the end of their contracts and some do
not want to play in League One. They do not have the heart for the fight.
Dennis knows who falls into that category.
"We had a big meeting last Tuesday and there is another meeting planned for
Tuesday this week.
"Every player who comes in will be one Dennis wants. The players will then
be brought back on July 2 for a proper pre-season.
"That was at the root of this season's problems. The number of injuries we
have picked up this season show that. Dennis says you never make up your
pre-season training if you do not do it."
This summer will see the burden of having to pay a host of ex-players
finally come to an end, while the last remnant of the Peter Ridsdale era,
Gary Kelly, is to retire after 16 seasons at Elland Road.
This will ease the wage bill considerably as United prepare for a first
season outside the top two divisions. Bates said: "Kelly costs us £2m a
year.
"At the beginning of the season, (United chief executive) Shaun Harvey went
to Gary
Kelly and said 'can you help us by taking a cut? You have had five years of
this'. His agent came back and said he would come down from the £4,000
appearance money he was on to £2,000. But if Leeds were promoted, we would
have to give him the £2,000 per game back."
Ridsdale has tried to distance himself from the mess he left behind at
Elland Road in March 2003, and Bates clearly has little time for the claims
by the current Cardiff City chairman that United's predicament is the fault
of others.
The Leeds chief said: "It is Ridsdale's fault that this club is in this
state. He was the chairman who borrowed the money and wasted it. Now he is
blaming (then manager) David O'Leary, but O'Leary did not sign the cheques.
"When he became chairman (of Cardiff), they were five points clear. Now
they have not qualified for the play-offs. Maybe he should concentrate on
his own performance."
Last Updated: 07 May 2007
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