David O'Leary

**youngirish** · 06/07/2009, 2:57 PM

Originally Posted by youngirish

Davo ”would consider” Arsenal, United role

July 6, 2009

David O’Leary has admitted that he would consider returning to football in an assistant manager’s position at Arsenal or Manchester United.

O’Leary has been out of football since being sacked by Aston Villa three years ago.

The former Leeds United boss is itching to get back into management and admits he would take on the challenge of a number two role at Old Trafford or the Emirates – but he insists he will not stoop to anything to achieve his goal.

He said: “The only people who could take me as a number two would be an Alex Ferguson or an Arsene Wenger and I’d be back tomorrow.

“I don’t want to be making out that my tongue is hanging out ass licking to get into a job. That’s just not me.”

I can see both Wenger and Ferguson beating down his door any minute now.

**geysir** · 06/07/2009, 4:34 PM

“I don’t want to be making out that my tongue is hanging out ass licking to get into a job. That’s just not me.”

I suppose it depends on the ass,
maybe it's my perverse imagination but I'm stuck with a disgusting image here.
Nothing that a good flagellation won't cleanse.

**Scram** · 06/07/2009, 4:49 PM

Originally Posted by geysir

“I don’t want to be making out that my tongue is hanging out ass licking to get into a job. That’s just not me.”

I suppose it depends on the ass,
maybe it's my perverse imagination but I'm stuck with a disgusting image here.
Nothing that a good flagellation won't cleanse.

Who are you going to flagellalte?

Ps. He was looking to get the Leeds job back so the ass end would be Ken Bates.....no truth at all but just to make sure that the image is really worth flagellating over!

**Den Perry** · 07/07/2009, 9:11 AM

Originally Posted by Lionel Ritchie

Interesting interview here in todays Mail where he chucks his orb about a few things ...club managment, international managment, Stan, Roy, former team-mates and contemporaries ...nothing about Trap or the current set-up mind.

I'm generally a supporter of the guy and usually end up sticking up for him in debates but if what he said is accurately transcribed (It is the Mail like) then he comes across at times as quite ingracious and snide.

anyway he wants a gig.

any chance somebody could post the interview? I can't open the link

Thanks

**tetsujin1979** · 07/07/2009, 9:26 AM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

any chance somebody could post the interview? I can't open the link

Thanks

The link appears to be dead
It's on vbbfootball here: http://www.vbbfootball.com/forum/vie...=27252&start=0

**Den Perry** · 07/07/2009, 9:47 AM

Originally Posted by tetsujin1979

The link appears to be dead
It's on vbbfootball here: http://www.vbbfootball.com/forum/vie...=27252&start=0

Got it - thanks. He is a serious egomaniac, but for all his smugness I cannot dislike him. I think he did a really good job at Leeds. In my opinion its Ridsdale's fault all that money was spent. However, he does himself no favours with all the bragging and namedropping - his book was really embarressing. One thing I'll remember was he kept mentioning that he kept company with David Loder the horse trainer, yet kept spelling it "Loader" - clown

**DeLorean** · 07/07/2009, 11:31 AM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

Got it - thanks. He is a serious egomaniac, but for all his smugness I cannot dislike him. I think he did a really good job at Leeds. In my opinion its Ridsdale's fault all that money was spent. However, he does himself no favours with all the bragging and namedropping - his book was really embarressing. One thing I'll remember was he kept mentioning that he kept company with David Loder the horse trainer, yet kept spelling it "Loader" - clown

I'm the same. I like him and want to see him do well. I also agree that he did a good job with Leeds. I haven't read his book and don't think I will as I want to continue liking him!!

**Scram** · 08/07/2009, 3:16 PM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

Got it - thanks. He is a serious egomaniac, but for all his smugness I cannot dislike him. I think he did a really good job at Leeds. In my opinion its Ridsdale's fault all that money was spent. However, he does himself no favours with all the bragging and namedropping - his book was really embarressing. One thing I'll remember was he kept mentioning that he kept company with David Loder the horse trainer, yet kept spelling it "Loader" - clown

It was O'Dreary who made the ridiculous calls on spending £8m on Seth Johnson etc., etc.....ridiculous waste of money and at a time when transfer prices wer coming down. A bad manager of money, a bad manager of men, terrible PR and and egotist.......where's the good

**Razors left peg** · 08/07/2009, 4:09 PM

Originally Posted by Scram

It was O'Dreary who made the ridiculous calls on spending £8m on Seth Johnson etc., etc.....ridiculous waste of money and at a time when transfer prices wer coming down. A bad manager of money, a bad manager of men, terrible PR and and egotist.......where's the good

what are ya talkin about... that was years ago and prices have continued to rise ridiculously since.... 17 million for Glen Johnson for example

**DeLorean** · 08/07/2009, 4:37 PM

Originally Posted by Scram

where's the good

Refer to post #113

**Scram** · 09/07/2009, 8:03 AM

Originally Posted by Razors left peg

what are ya talkin about... that was years ago and prices have continued to rise ridiculously since.... 17 million for Glen Johnson for example

So because the prices are up again for SOME teams in some markets, they have continued to rise

Have you ever heard of peaks and troughs? I guess not.

**Den Perry** · 09/07/2009, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Scram

So because the prices are up again for SOME teams in some markets, they have continued to rise

Have you ever heard of peaks and troughs? I guess not.

In fairness, Leeds were pretty mediocre when Graham was first there. as far as I rem though, he got them into Europe. O' Leary then took them to the semi finals of UEFA Cup and Champions League. as stated earlier, finished in top five in Premier League each season and had a squad that was capable of challenging for Premier League title. They also played some great football. O'Leary bought the ,likes of Batty, Viduka, Matteo, Ferdinand, Dacourt and Bridges who were all very successful there. Granted, Bridges did get badly injured but O'Leary could hardly be blamed for that.Apart from Seth Johnson, I can't really think of any disastrous buys that he made. Now there arn't too many managers that havn't bought a dud in their time and for big money.

**EalingGreen** · 09/07/2009, 11:29 AM

Originally Posted by Den Perry

In fairness, Leeds were pretty mediocre when Graham was first there. as far as I rem though, he got them into Europe. O' Leary then took them to the semi finals of UEFA Cup and Champions League. as stated earlier, finished in top five in Premier League each season and had a squad that was capable of challenging for Premier League title. They also played some great football. O'Leary bought the ,likes of Batty, Viduka, Matteo, Ferdinand, Dacourt and Bridges who were all very successful there. Granted, Bridges did get badly injured but O'Leary could hardly be blamed for that.Apart from Seth Johnson, I can't really think of any disastrous buys that he made. Now there arn't too many managers that havn't bought a dud in their time and for big money.

The responsibility for Leeds Utd's rise and fall should lie fairly and squarely with Ridsdale and the Board. For it was they who decided on the strategy of signing players for huge transfer fees and wages on long contracts etc,to get them into the Champions League, which would then pay for it all.

So that when they failed to qualify, suddenly they were stuck with a massive squad, on long-term contracts, who were so expensive they couldn't even give them away*.

As for O'Leary, sure he made some poor signings (every manager does), but I really don't think you can blame him for taking advantage of the Board's folly, by signing the very best players he could - every other manager would have done exactly the same. And as it happens, he did actually build a very competitive side, which also played attractive football, popular with the ER crowd.

Consequently, I think he has the makings of a very good manager - knows the game, knows a player, is well organised etc - except he is (fatally) hampered by one major flaw: his personality.

For too many ex-players/colleagues/managers etc (most notably Cascarino) have pointed to this for it just to be rumour. And imo it would explain why, even with his contacts, he's taking so long to get back into the game at a decent level i.e. his name is mud throughout the game.

In fact, I suspect it explains why the success he did have was often based on young players (his "babies", as he used to call them). That is, he could charm/fool/finesse etc them into believing him, but once they got a bit older, wiser and more experienced, they soon saw through him.

* - Literally; apparently when Spurs signed Paul Robinson, Leeds were still paying a portion of his wages long after his move to WHL. Otherwise Robinson might not have accepted a wage cut to move and/or Spurs would not have matched the wages he was on at Leeds. Same with Robbie Fowler and a load of others.

**Razors left peg** · 09/07/2009, 11:33 AM

Originally Posted by Scram

So because the prices are up again for SOME teams in some markets, they have continued to rise

Have you ever heard of peaks and troughs? I guess not.

I honestly have no clue what the hell u are on about. it wasnt long after the Seth Johnson transfer that Man United paid Leeds 30 odd million for Rio Ferdinand so the market was extremely inflated at that time

**elroy** · 09/07/2009, 12:51 PM

Originally Posted by Scram

It was O'Dreary who made the ridiculous calls on spending £8m on Seth Johnson etc., etc.....ridiculous waste of money and at a time when transfer prices wer coming down. A bad manager of money, a bad manager of men, terrible PR and and egotist.......where's the good

More a Ridsdale story that O'Leary, cant remember where i heard this but it is a true story:
When leeds were in the process of signing Johnson, player and agent agreed in advance that they would pitch for 17k a week. At their meeting with Ridsdale, without the player/agent even making a comment, Ridsdale offered circa 35k a week. Couple of mins later he had moved up to 40k. Some negotiator he was!!

**Den Perry** · 09/07/2009, 2:54 PM

Originally Posted by EalingGreen

The responsibility for Leeds Utd's rise and fall should lie fairly and squarely with Ridsdale and the Board. For it was they who decided on the strategy of signing players for huge transfer fees and wages on long contracts etc,to get them into the Champions League, which would then pay for it all.

So that when they failed to qualify, suddenly they were stuck with a massive squad, on long-term contracts, who were so expensive they couldn't even give them away*.

As for O'Leary, sure he made some poor signings (every manager does), but I really don't think you can blame him for taking advantage of the Board's folly, by signing the very best players he could - every other manager would have done exactly the same. And as it happens, he did actually build a very competitive side, which also played attractive football, popular with the ER crowd.

Consequently, I think he has the makings of a very good manager - knows the game, knows a player, is well organised etc - except he is (fatally) hampered by one major flaw: his personality.

For too many ex-players/colleagues/managers etc (most notably Cascarino) have pointed to this for it just to be rumour. And imo it would explain why, even with his contacts, he's taking so long to get back into the game at a decent level i.e. his name is mud throughout the game.

In fact, I suspect it explains why the success he did have was often based on young players (his "babies", as he used to call them). That is, he could charm/fool/finesse etc them into believing him, but once they got a bit older, wiser and more experienced, they soon saw through him.

* - Literally; apparently when Spurs signed Paul Robinson, Leeds were still paying a portion of his wages long after his move to WHL. Otherwise Robinson might not have accepted a wage cut to move and/or Spurs would not have matched the wages he was on at Leeds. Same with Robbie Fowler and a load of others.

I agree, if a manager is given the money to spend, he can't be blamed for doing so. Ridsdale is a loathsome, publicity mad cretin. I remember him running aroung singing Marching on Together after Leeds beat Lazio away, as if he was a lifelong fan (which I thought he was at the time). Then, when Cardiff City qualified for FA Cup final he was pictured crying on the TV...

EG I agree - I think O'Leary's ego does hamper him - have you read his book? I've read what Cascarino has said about him, but do you have any more examples of ex teamates etc badmouthing him? cheers

**SkStu** · 09/08/2009, 6:00 PM

looking likely that Ashley will appoint O'Leary to the Newcastle hotseat if he stays with the club. Could be just the sort of task for O'Leary to reestablish himslef as a capable manager...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/foot...ed/8192035.stm