Leeds United face a summer of some huge decisions on multiple fronts. With thehttps://www.leeds-live.co.uk/all-about/leeds-united-fc
still ongoing, the club must make also make a big call on the manager ahead of next season's Championship campaign.
The futures of many players are also in the air, with some big-name stars likely to move on following relegation from the Premier League. This is turn will mean incoming transfers will need to be high on the agenda as Leeds United rebuild their squad.
The timing of any changes at the very top will be vital for the rest to go smoothly, but as yet we're waiting for answers on pretty much everything.
READ MORE: Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani's statement after Sampdoria purchase
Our chiefs Leeds United writer Beren Cross held one his regular Q&A sessions to help answer some of the fans' concerns - here's everything that was said.
Craig Millward: Yes, a very sad end to the season, but hardly unexpected. Belief had dissipated some time ago. After the summer spending spree failed so spectacularly last year, I am not one of those who looks to more investment on another crop of new players as the answer. I'm looking for another manager who shares the Bielsa way - coach the raw talent we already have, let those who want to leave move on and bring in a few additions as needed. How many players do you see leaving, and how many are ready to step up into the first team?
BC: Departures could stretch into double figures and I would not be surprised. As for those who would be ready to step in after little or no part last season, Gyabi, Gray, Hjelde, Drameh, James, Gelhardt and Cresswell seem like faces, already in the building, who could be trusted in the second tier.
RussVMedia: There are reports that the takeover is still expected to be completed and, once it has, there is a plan in place for Radrizzani to oversee a transition period into the new ownership alongside chief executive Angus Kinnear. Kinnear is also expected to stay on in his role as CEO at least until the end of the 2023-24 season, and top of the agenda for the new regime will be the appointments of a new head coach and sporting director. Have you heard anything on this?
BC: There is certainly a quiet confidence inside the club about the chances of 49ers Enterprises getting this over the line, but nobody can predict what Radrizzani might do from day to day. I am not aware of how the transition would be handled.
del65: Three seasons to get things right and messed it up big time, we were told at the end of last season away at Brentford that it would not be allowed to happen again, so to sort this utter mess out in eight weeks or so is not going to happen I fear.
BC: I would not be surprised if the club were still doing business in and out up until the September 1 transfer window deadline. It's hard to see how they get their squad perfectly into shape before the season starts. Ownership has to get sorted ASAP.
gerh18: What are our chances of keeping Gnonto and Summerville? Have my fingers crossed, but that hasn’t worked too well previously.
BC: I am really split down the middle on Gnonto. Evidently, there was enough promise in his 24 league appearances to suggest there is a quality player there with huge potential at 19-years-old. However, was it there consistently enough for someone to offer a head-turning amount of money? I wouldn't not be surprised if there were offers from Serie A, but there has to be some value in him staying, playing 35 to 40 matches and ripping up the second tier here.
Summerville has not performed at a high enough level on a consistent basis to justify PL or big-five interest in his services. I would imagine there will be Dutch top flight interest, but is that really a better platform for him than regular football in the Championship, where he would have to target double figures for goals and assists?
Dazh1963: I would think that Leeds may now become a selling club, I'm sure if we look at the stats through the season we can see who needs to go and who should stay, hopefully we can cash in on some failures, but we must bounce straight back up, my question would be who's next manager, (please don't rush like last time) and are we getting a investment, if yes lets use it wisely.
BC: Unfortunately, a cruel reality of relegation is the club does become far more open to sales. There are a number of players who will have suitors in higher divisions, offering more money and better opportunities for continental or international football.
I could imagine Meslier, Firpo, Koch, Roca, Summerville, Harrison, Adams, Llorente, Rodrigo and Sinisterra all see decent bids come in for their services. As for the next manager, it's impossible to predict until we know who is going to have control in the boardroom. This time spent waiting for the takeover (not) to happen has to be spent filtering and shortlisting which direction the club ultimately goes in in the dugout.
Carrington77: Can't believe Sam Allardyce is even under consideration as manager for next season. For a 'must win game' he put a team out with six defenders as if a draw would have been sufficient. I thought it was absurd to have Summerville and Gnonto on the bench when we needed to at least go down with 'all guns blazing' instead of the meek surrender we gave. If the team had half the passion of the crowd, we might have survived.
BC: Allardyce's stock certainly dropped off as a result of Sunday's result and tactical choices. There was a school of thought he could be a stable, experienced pair of hands on the tiller while the boardroom stabilised and found its feet across the next season.
However, Sunday was a sad attempt at trying to win a must-win match. the selection was odd with six defenders. Yes, the team has no defended well, but if ever there was a match to cut loose and fight fire with fire, that was it. Look to win 4-3, not 1-0 and rely on a defence which has struggled for clean sheets all season.
stefan73: Given that there's not a massive amount of time until the next season, how do you see things being put in place? Owner, manager/coach, dog etc. Ownership has to get done asap for everything else to start to fall in to place. Hopefully the club have learned their lessons with regards to managers after this season alone
BC: As you rightly say, Stefan, the ownership situation needs to be resolved as quickly as possible. Once that is in place, the hope is everything else falls into place swiftly. Angus Kinnear has already been in dialogue with prospective head coaches. The hope is verbal agreements can be made so that when the club knows who is signing the cheques they can move forward on those agreements.
I would not be surprised if a head coach/manager was appointed before a sporting director, given the importance of that role in connection to the playing squad.
READ MORE: Andrea Radrizzani told of £300m Leeds United takeover blow after relegation
markf14: I'm thinking we should forget the last two years and let the rebuild begin but we need the takeover situation sorted first then get a director of football who knows what to do and a manager with experience - someone like Brendan Rodgers, Adoni Iraola or a outside Rafa Benitez as he has been in this league before.
BC: Agree with everything you've said, Mark. This relegation is a watershed moment. It's the line in the sand on what was a glorious era built by Bielsa, but sadly undone by poor recruitment and terrible succession planning with too much patience for Marsch.
Establish who is committed and motivated to take this club forward from the top into the Championship and then rebuild from there downwards. Rodgers would be a sensational hire. Iraola, who has recently been reported to leave Rayo Vallecano, is an interesting one given Orta's previous interest. Would Leeds still be interested without Orta? Would he be open to England's second tier?
F_Wilson62: Any indication on time scale? Is it possible manager comes in before DOF? Just two weeks before the window opens and there’s worry that we will be going to the transfer market with no manager or recruitment structure. And finally have any managers been spoken to?
BC: Unfortunately not. It's going to take as long as it takes and all we can do is hope they get it done, either way, very quickly for the sake of everyone. There remains confidence inside Elland Road this can be done quickly and the parties are not a million miles apart, but only those around the table can know which way the finer details are going.
I would say it is very possible a head coach/manager is appointed before Orta's replacement is found. The ownership is the single biggest issue. Once that is resolved, the hope is the other pieces will quickly fall into place.
I am told Kinnear has been speaking with prospective managers for the past few weeks informally. They have shortlists for survival and relegation, so they should know who they will target, but everything is on hold until we know who is signing the cheques.
dannyleeds: I think we are all thinking the same thing and that is the last two seasons have been so disappointing. Everything needs sorting out ASAP, the longer it takes the less chance we have of coming straight back up. Please Radz, make a decision one way or another on selling the club and then make sure we get the right man in place straight away. Would love it to be Rodgers who we get, no matter the cost as with bielsa- make it happen
BC: You're bang on, Danny. Whichever way this takeover goes, and many want there to be fresh blood at the top of the club, it needs to be done quickly. That's what the club and the fans deserve. The Sampdoria narrative does not seem to be helpful in dividing Radrizzani's attention. It's a distraction which cannot be helping his focus on deciding what's next at Elland Road.
Rodgers seems to be the kind of appointment which would at least unite everyone. That's a head coach with the kind of CV which players, backroom staff, executives and supporters can rally behind. However, that level of inspiration is always going to be attractive to top-flight clubs, isn't it? Even if Rodgers does not get approached for the PL this summer, he is surely going to be near the top of many clubs' wanted lists when the first round of sackings come in the autumn.
Convincing Rodgers to drop into the second tier would be a tall order, but there have been noises to suggest Leeds would absolutely have him on their shortlist.
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