Goodbye Blackwell

Yesterday's announcement that Leeds United had sacked manager Kevin Blackwell would hardly have come across as a suprise.







The former Sheffield United coach ended his three year stay at Elland Road, leaving the club in the relegation zone of the Coca-Cola Championship with just two wins to their name and four league goals, two of which were penalty kicks.
The clubs precarious position and home defeats to Wolverhampton and Sunderland had left the fans calling for Blackwell's head and not even a 3-1 Carling Cup victory over Barnet's second string could save him from the axe of Ken Bates.

After reaching the play-off final in Cardiff last season, United slumped to a humiliating 3-0 defeat and rumours were abound of a bust-up in the camp and those rumours still continue to circulate with regards to players seemingly not seeing eye-to-eye with Blackwell.

The problems arn't just results however. Being someone who infrequently visits Elland Rd, watching the side has been painful. Passing ability is absent, creativity has been missing for months and goals are clearly in short supply. That, coupled with ever increasing ticket prices, has driven supporters away, a problem not helped by the relitive success of the Leeds Rhinos. Yesterday's announcement was an inevitability. For a club that has always claimed that it 'deserved' to be in the Premiership ever since it's relegation 3 seasons ago, it needs a manager capable of getting it to the top flight. Blackwell, as nice a bloke as he came across to be, was out of his depth.

As for a replacement, Alan Curbishley is clearly the fans favourite whilst Claudio Ranieri, someone who has previously worked under Chairman Ken Bates, has been noticed at several United games. Bates may also be tempted to go for another old friend, Dennis Wise but Curbishley is the man in many eyes to lead Leeds back to the big time.