Silence is Golden TSS June 19, 2013 Leeds United 22 Comments For Leeds United fans, this has to be the most relaxing summer in recent years. Ken Bates is nothing more than a self-appointed irritant these days, seemingly silenced by the new regime, unable to ruin Whites fans summers like he has for the last several years. Brian McDermott exudes a calming confidence when it comes to transfer targets, assuring Leeds United fans he’s making progress without provoking the kind of pandemonium any transfer-related comments did under previous management. The board members of GFH, particularly Salem Patel, have been conspicuous only by their silence. A strategy that has perhaps irked a few bored fans, but one which I welcome after so many years of Ken Bates undermining managers with his nonsensical comments and blame games. Sure, there’s a few lingering doubts and some unknowns we’re all a little worried about, but patience has been the defining factor of the last few weeks. A lot of this newly found calmness comes down to the media. It’s said that if you don’t feed the beast, the beast will feed on you, but that hasn’t really been the case. Crazy transfer speculation has been kept to a minimum, there’s been no panic-inducing stories about our ownership or the funds Brian McDermott has at his disposal, it’s all been pretty pleasant really. Patient. Without wishing to tempt fate, it feels like Leeds United’s ship has finally been steadied. Like someone at Elland Road has a handle on things, someone who has managed to keep the nonsense to a minimum and bring people together. Perhaps Brian McDermott has been the unifying figure we’ve needed for so long. I vaguely remember a Salem Patel interview before McDermott was appointed in which the Leeds United director said the club was looking for someone who could manage all aspects of a football club, someone who would involve himself in matters at all levels. It was an interesting statement because it spoke volumes to the difficulties previous managers have faced. Under Ken Bates, it was never entirely clear who was pulling what strings. Gwyn Williams, Leeds United’s technical director, was one such obstacle. Having followed Bates from Chelsea, he’s always been viewed suspiciously by many Whites fans. Neil Warnock’s latest autobiography is scathing in its assessment of Williams, with Warnock saying he has no idea what Williams’ job is. Then there’s Shaun Harvey, a former postman who oversaw two administrations at Bradford City while managing director. He was also a key player in the stunt that saw Leeds United placed into administration while Ken Bates managed to retain ownership. Perhaps the single dodgiest moment in the club’s history, which led to an investigation by HMRC. For whatever reason, Harvey became central to every transfer and contract negotiation as our hapless managers saw hordes of players reject the once mighty Whites for lesser clubs offering better terms, while the key players we did have lined up to refuse contract extensions, leaving the club with “no choice” but to cash in on them, without the money ever finding its way into the managers’ budget. Technical directors and CEO’s are important to the successful running of a football club, but there has to be a clear chain of power and separation of issues. The manager has to have absolute power over the football side of things, a clear budget to spend as he pleases and a technical director whose role is to support – not overshadow – him. We all saw the disastrous impact of Dennis Wise at Newcastle United, a situation that occurred partly because of Wise’s inexperience, but mostly because the manager’s power was being undermined. Reassuringly, Brian McDermott seems comfortable with the chain of command at Elland Road. A calming figure, one confident in his ability to get the right players in without the madness we’ve witnessed in previous years. There’s been one voice speaking from Elland Road this summer, a soothing voice of reason who has managed to give us all a relaxing break from the manic tribulations of Leeds United FC. McDermott gives the impression of total control. Gone are the mixed messages causing widespread panic among our fanbase, gone are the press reports of unrest and mayhem. All of a sudden, Leeds United feels like a professionally run football club, instead of the circus freak-show it’s been for the last decade. Players’ contracts expire at the end of this month, an event which usually kicks the transfer window into gear as clubs’ wage bills are cleared up and managers start to assess where they are, who they can sell and where they need to strengthen. July and early August will be the litmus test for McDermott, and so too for GFH. Patience doesn’t last long once player movement really begins, from there on out, the pressure heightens and Leeds United’s fanbase will be reduced to an emotional train-wreck of contrasting views, teetering on the brink of civil war. How McDermott handles the heightened pressure, what players he can sign, what funding he’ll have to play with – these are all issues for another day. For now at least, relax and enjoy the unfamiliar sense of calm in the glorious British sunshine. Neither of those things will last long. On and on…