Takeover and transition of power has been the story of the summer at Leeds United and it continues to play its part in the next big decision. While an agreement is in place between Aser Ventures and 49ers Enterprises, until the final paperwork is cleared by the EFL, Andrea Radrizzani remains majority shareholder and chairman.
Radrizzani’s name is above the door still, but talks with prospective head coaches have taken place in London this week with chairman-elect Paraag Marathe and chief executive Angus Kinnear, among other decision-makers. While that process has been able to move forward with some confidence after the takeover agreement, formally announcing a new boss may have to wait a little longer.
LeedsLive understands the new administration wants to ensure everything is done in the right order and, ideally, with the takeover officially ratified before a new head coach is announced. There is confidence down the corridors of Elland Road the new era’s owners and directors will get the green light in the coming days.
Confirmation of the new head coach would then follow in short order, but that is unlikely to stop the new appointment from getting their ducks in a row before officially starting work. With face-to-face interviews in the capital now concluded, there will be more talks today as that recruitment process comes to an end.
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Marathe has been pleased with the process up to now. It began with research into the common traits United found from promoted Championship managers of the past 20 years. These attributes were then cross-checked with the dozens of applicants they have fielded.
While culture, tenacity, tactical philosophy, empathy and leadership are important values to Marathe, he and the rest of the incoming board began with a desire for demonstrative success. They wanted their next head coach to have a proven track record of achievement in the sport and any who didn’t found their CVs promptly binned.
Zoom calls with 10 candidates would follow before this week’s face-to-face meetings with a smaller, select group of coaches. Marathe and Kinnear are satisfied with how the process has unfolded in a diligent, methodical manner.
Those involved with the manager search are not understood to feel the approach taken has been at the expense of time. Preparation began with Kinnear in the weeks before last season finished.
Efforts were then focused on the takeover talks, which did not yield an agreement until June 9. In the two weeks since that announcement, Marathe et al feel their manager search has moved effectively and swiftly.
Only time will tell just how effective and successful that search, and the time it took, proves to be.
