Gray angered by board's timing
Leeds caretaker manager Eddie Gray has been left angered by the timing of the club’s board of directors after they confirmed the appointment of an agent to look into the sale of a number of players this summer.
With Leeds staring at relegation, and at a time when unity and team spirit are paramount, Gray and his players believe they have been undermined.
The Yorkshire club, who travel to Bolton tomorrow, have taken on Phil Morrison, with his brief to quickly ascertain which clubs will be interested in buying any United players in the event they are relegated.
Leeds are understandably preparing for another fire sale, and in Morrison they have appointed a ‘poacher turned gamekeeper’ to ensure they are not fleeced by other agents, as has happened in the past.
But they have been unable to keep the matter quiet just when they needed to stay out of the headlines and focus on their fight to beat the drop.
Naturally, Gray is unhappy as he said: “It’s something that shouldn’t have happened, but it has.
“The stories are nothing new at this football club. They’ve been happening all season, but the players have become used to them over the last season or so.
“There was some disappointment at this latest story, and also a few laughs, but they just have to get on with the job of playing football.
“That’s what I have to impress upon them and they know it as well because agents don’t win football matches.
“What has happened has not made my job any easier, but realistically we’ve had a long time to get out of trouble and we’ve not done it.
“It’s not as if it’s come upon us with three games to go. We’re in the same position and we’ve now got to go and perform on the football field.”
Star striker Alan Smith has also been vocal in his condemnation of the move, insisting no-one at the club is going to tell him where he should be heading this summer should Leeds be relegated.
Gray can appreciate Smith’s frustration, and maintains it is the player who is in control of his own destiny, adding: “Alan and I talk all the time.
“He knows, come the end of the season, if we go down there is a possibility he could be leaving the club, but if we stay up he might decide to stay.
“He’s under contract and if he decides to stay, you can’t make players walk out of the door.”
Gray, meanwhile, is unconcerned at the prospect he will not be in charge next season, in particular if he manages to keep Leeds in the Premiership.
The Scot does not possess any of the required qualifications, the UEFA A and B diploma and the Pro-Licence, to manage in the top flight.
As it takes up to three years to obtain all three, it means even if Leeds were relegated this season and Gray were retained and managed to get Leeds promoted at the first time of asking, he would be unable to manage them in the subsequent Premiership season.
Gray is unlikely to be asked to carry on if he takes them down, although managing director David Richmond has promised a man he describes as ‘Mr Leeds United’ a role which will be “far more than window dressing”.
Gray certainly wishes to assist the club he has been associated with for 40 years, but as for not being manager he said: “It doesn’t bother me, but I know the rules, so it’s quite simple.
“I would like to be involved with the club, but we will have to wait and see how the club are going to go forward, which is the important thing regardless of what happens at the end of the season.
“As long as the club are looking to the future and trying to build a solid foundation, because it’s not been solid for the last couple of seasons.
“There’s too many things been happening on and off the field that don’t lend to a solid football club, so that’s something that has to be corrected.
“But I’d like to be part of creating a more stable future.”
Gray will have striker Mark Viduka back for tomorrow’s trip to Bolton after serving a one-match suspension, while skipper Dominic Matteo will play after shaking off a hip injury sustained in the defeat to Portsmouth last Sunday.
