David O'Leary

[macdermesser]

So it wasn't the right time for the Ireland job but the right time for this job. Right you are.

[gspain]

So it wasn't the right time for the Ireland job but the right time for this job. Right you are.


He was never getting the Ireland job so ruled himself out to get publicity.

I can't believe he has got too many offers as this is something said by somebody desperate to get back into management. He has
been trying to get a job in England for a while without success.

I don't think much of him as a manager but he was a great player for us and did score THAT penalty. Best of luck David. I'm sure he
is going for the big payday but no harm in that.

[Den Perry]

He was never getting the Ireland job so ruled himself out to get publicity.

I can't believe he has got too many offers as this is something said by somebody desperate to get back into management. He has
been trying to get a job in England for a while without success.

I don't think much of him as a manager but he was a great player for us and did score THAT penalty. Best of luck David. I'm sure he
is going for the big payday but no harm in that.

I think O'Leary did a very good job at Leeds initially. In fairness, if you are given the money to spend you're gonna spend it, and Seth Johnson apart, I don't think he made any horific signings.

However, his ego seems to be a major problem and alienates dressing rooms. He deserved to be sacked for the timing of that bloody "Leeds Utd on Trial" and the book itself was an embarressment.Name dropping, self indulgence.....

[SkStu]

I don't think much of him as a manager but he was a great player for us and did score THAT penalty. Best of luck David. I'm sure he
is going for the big payday but no harm in that.

well said. I dont begrudge him anything. Gave us one of our greatest moments in international football and deserves more respect than he gets at home.

[rebelmusic]

I've never understood why he gets so much bad rep to be honest. His management career up to date is top notch, he was a great player and don't almost all football players have horrific egos? Best of luck to him with the new club, very happy to see him back in the game

[Duggie]

I've never understood why he gets so much bad rep to be honest. His management career up to date is top notch, he was a great player and don't almost all football players have horrific egos? Best of luck to him with the new club, very happy to see him back in the game

agree, of course the money is tempting him and thats fine. i wish him the best of luck, hope to see him back in the prem before long.

[OwlsFan]

As I say, O'Leary played in an era where the stars weren't on daft money like they are now so if he's off to line his pocket, good luck to him.

As for the peno in Genoa, I wonder what his motives were in taking that kick. (a) I'll do this for my country because no one else is standing up to the plate, (b) I've barely had a minute on the pitch in this tournament and I am bored or (c) if I score this, I will be a national hero.

I suspect it was (c) and he took a huge risk because if he had missed.......but such is the confidence of the man in himself he stepped forward.

[SkStu]

the story goes that Charlton hadnt bothered practising penalties except for one of the first training practices and left it up to each of the players to decide who wanted to go take one. O'Leary stepped up to the mark. Id say it was a mix of a) and c) ;)

[irishfan86]

I don't mind egos, so long as you get the job done. It's big heads that don't produce that bother me.

He stepped up to the mark and put it in, fair play to him.

Good luck in Dubai.

[Stuttgart88]

Dave was my hero when I was growing up. The more media exposure he got as a manager the less I liked him though. I thought he came across as a total lick-arse and by all accounts he wasn't popular among his peers. I'm not forgetting what he did for us, it was fantastic - and he was cruelly left out for a large part of it. He's perfectly entitled to a big pay day in Dubai so good luck to him. I'd do it if I got half a chance.

[geysir]

A 'tax free' pay day as well.
Most of that 1990 team have done well for themselves. Must be the card schooling.

[OwlsFan]

Dave was my hero when I was growing up.

Ah yes, the triumverate of Brady, O'Leary and Stapleton and not forgetting Nelson, Rice and Jennings. Arsenal was more than 50% Irish then. How times have changed. I blame it all on this EU nonsense ;)

[Kingdom]

People might have said the same of Wenger when he went to work in Japan. Hes been out of work so long now Id imagine he would look at it as a stepping stone to show that he can still cut it as a manager

His reputation is gone to the dogs in England and consequently here. I wouldn't look down on him for one moment here. When he has no viable options there, why not move to the continent, or even further afield as he has done. If other Irish players and coaches had similar open minds and not confined themselves to the backwaters of Britain they might (and we might) be a little better off.

[Stuttgart88]

Ah yes, the triumverate of Brady, O'Leary and Stapleton and not forgetting Nelson, Rice and Jennings. Arsenal was more than 50% Irish then. How times have changed. I blame it all on this EU nonsense ;)Don't forget John Devine!

[elroy]

I think the point about him wanting to be a hero as the reason for putting himself forward for the final spotkick is a bit harsh. I would strongly assume that the five takers were selected prior to the start of the shoot out. The shoot out may well have been over before he even had the chance to take his pen.

[yapster]

I think O'Leary has what it takes to be a top manager, and I would like to see him manage Ireland some day. He has made mistakes and hopefully he will learn from them. His style of football is positive

[OwlsFan]

Don't forget John Devine!

Didn't he go and play in the Far East? Have no lasting memories of Devine in an Irish jersey although I do remember he married Michelle Rocca. Lucky man. He also played for the Hoops. Wonder what is he up to now.

[DannyInvincible]

Didn't he go and play in the Far East? Have no lasting memories of Devine in an Irish jersey although I do remember he married Michelle Rocca. Lucky man. He also played for the Hoops. Wonder what is he up to now.

According to Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Devine_(footballer_born_1958)), he went to Kingfisher East Bengal in 1991, having won 13 international caps a few years earlier between 1979 and 1984, and is now assistant manager at Sporting Fingal.

[theworm2345]

Just resurfaced on MOTD2, hadn't seen him in a few years. Last I heard he was in UAE and I don't think his side were doing all that great...I think he's since left there. Anyone know what he's up to these days (aside from MOTD2)? Seems he's constantly be linked with managerial positions in the Championship (and us the last two times we had vacancies) and obviously did OK at Leeds and Villa.

[Stuttgart88]

Linked to the soon-to-be-vacant Shamrock Rovers job.

Source: my imagination.

[ArdeeBhoy]

He also didn't, er, do 'Ok' at Leeds and Villa.

Ok in small doses. That's all.

[tetsujin1979]

He also didn't, er, do 'Ok' at Leeds and Villa.

Ok in small doses. That's all.Anytime anyone tells me something is ok "in small doses", I remind them that so is smallpox

[tommy_c12000]

Anytime anyone tells me something is ok "in small doses", I remind them that so is smallpox

Smallpox is extinct, much like O'Leary's managerial career.

Hope he proves me wrong though. He has developed a somewhat unjustifiably poor reputation since his Villa and Leeds days. Clubs almost view him as toxic . . . . . it's as if they have tarred Risdale and O'Leary with the same brush. But the bottom line was O'Leary was the manager and had no control over the club's fiscal affairs, the blame for Leed's demise fell firmly at Risdale's doorstep.

O'Leary managed Leeds for over 4 yrs and had an almost 50% win record. This is on par with Harry Redknapp who has had 3 yrs of managing Spurs. Furthermore, there is only a 6% difference in his win % with Villa compared with Martin O'Neill. Definitely not disastrous by any means. Since then he has only had 7 games in charge of an UAE outfit.

Hopefully, he'll catch a break soon because I certainly don't think he's had a fair crack at the whip

[Olé Olé]

Smallpox is extinct, much like O'Leary's managerial career.

Hope he proves me wrong though. He has developed a somewhat unjustifiably poor reputation since his Villa and Leeds days. Clubs almost view him as toxic . . . . . it's as if they have tarred Risdale and O'Leary with the same brush. But the bottom line was O'Leary was the manager and had no control over the club's fiscal affairs, the blame for Leed's demise fell firmly at Risdale's doorstep.

O'Leary managed Leeds for over 4 yrs and had an almost 50% win record. This is on par with Harry Redknapp who has had 3 yrs of managing Spurs. Furthermore, there is only a 6% difference in his win % with Villa compared with Martin O'Neill. Definitely not disastrous by any means. Since then he has only had 7 games in charge of an UAE outfit.

Hopefully, he'll catch a break soon because I certainly don't think he's had a fair crack at the whip

And people should bear in mind that Ridsdale seems to have no problem getting work having moved up from Plymouth Argyle to Preston North End.

On the basis of that job out in Dubai and all the controversy his managerial career in England attracted as a result of Leeds' demise, you must question whether it's worth his while getting back into English football. I'm sure he collected a nice settlement out in Dubai.

[theworm2345]

He also didn't, er, do 'Ok' at Leeds and Villa.

Ok in small doses. That's all.
Finished 4th, 3rd, 4th, and 5th in his four seasons and Leeds and of course made the Champions League semifinal. Finished 6th, 10th, and then ultimately 16th in his three seasons at Villa. Strictly as a manager and ignoring anything off the field, aside from that last season at Villa, that could certainly be classed as doing OK.

[ArdeeBhoy]

And he helped Leeds run up a £150 million overdraft which nearly meant the club went to the wall, FFS.

He signed numerous players the club didn't need and generally ran completely ahead of him self. Though R*dsdale is also largely to blame besides DO'L.

[pineapple stu]

And he helped Leeds run up a £150 million overdraft which nearly meant the club went to the wall, FFS.
Way, way more the board's fault than O'Leary's. I'd say he's even less responsible than the likes of Fenlon at Shels because of how much more complicated Premier League finances are than LoI's. It was basically his job to spend the money.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Well, yes. But he didn't have to ask for players he didn't need, eg. Robbie Fowler & Seth Johnson, to name but two...

Most Leeds fans hold him in contempt for his profligate spending which is good enough for me.

[Charlie Darwin]

Seth Johnson was coveted by a lot of clubs. He was a spectacular failure but he's no different than Eric Djemba Djemba or Kleberson in that regard.

O'Leary was given a blank checkbook and instructed to get results. He delivered. It didn't go so well at Aston Villa.

[the bear]

wondered what had become of seth johnson so looked up on wiki where i found this which made me laugh:

There was an interesting anecdote about Johnson's negotiations with Leeds: In his personal terms negotiations with Peter Ridsdale (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Ridsdale) (then Leeds Chairman) Johnson and his agent agreed in advance to hold out for £13k a week, but Ridsdale's opening offering was in the region of £30k. When the agent balked, Ridsdale increased the offer by several thousand. Ridsdale denies some of this, claiming Johnson was given “£10,000 less than has been rumoured.”

[Olé Olé]

I admired what O'Leary did in terms of squad development at Leeds. In fairness to him he was given a blank cheque book but he went out to spend it on the best young English talent that he felt was about at the time; Bowyer, Mills, Johnson, Bridges etc . And it did work for a period, especially when coupled with youth team products like Woodgate and Kewell and the addition of a bit of steel and experience in the likes of Batty and Wilcox (not sure did he sign all of those players). Two Irish full-backs also so he maintained a bit of loyalty to Ireland too.

He was very unlucky with injuries to some of the key players like Johnson and Bridges too.

[Fixer82]

Two Irish full-backs also so he maintained a bit of loyalty to Ireland too.


Let's not forget Stephen McPhail too!

[Lionel Ritchie]

Well, yes. But he didn't have to ask for players he didn't need, eg. Robbie Fowler & Seth Johnson, to name but two...

Most Leeds fans hold him in contempt for his profligate spending which is good enough for me.

I happen to be a Leeds supporter AB and not for the first time or on the first thread you are certifiably, er, talking out your hole.

[ArdeeBhoy]

Seth Johnson was coveted by a lot of clubs. He was a spectacular failure but he's no different than Eric Djemba Djemba or Kleberson in that regard.

You are joking? He made Kilbane really look like Zidane. And Paul & Rob Green look like international footballers?


I happen to be a Leeds supporter AB and not for the first time or on the first thread you are certifiably, er, talking out your hole.
Really? Do tell all the other times?

Clearly you know very little about how DO'L's regime is viewed now by most Leeds fans, though do admit there is an element :rolleyes: of selective amnesia.

But given the choice, even a CL Semi was not compensation for 3 years in Div.3, losing to Histon and currently being stuck with a chairman now, more despised than Fotherby & Ridsdale combined...

[nigel-harps1954]

Actually seen Seth Johnson playing a few months ago on TV for John Hartson cancer fundraiser. He's very overweight but jesus he can still play a bit of ball.

[Closed Account 2]

I wouldn't read too much into any manager's success (or lack of it) at Villa their fans are very fickle and seem to want every manager out.

[The Fly]

It was the 'Leeds on trial' book that did it for me.

[ArdeeBhoy]

That book could and should have been called "Tip Of an Iceberg", given how things unravelled thereafter for DO'L and Leeds Utd.

[theworm2345]

Two interesting quotes regarding Ridsdale in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's book

I would have preferred a nice farewell than the one the chairman Peter Ridsdale was willing to give me. He had a lot of power at Leeds United, but he spent money like water, money which belonged to the club. He travelled to matches on private jets, which cost the club £70,000 in one year, and spent more than £200 on tropical fish for the aquarium in his Leeds United office. That was the club's money, not his own. A few years later those stories became public but I had already left.

Peter Ridsdale loved publicity. I have never seen a chairman who was more in the news than his players. He ended up buying one centre-forward after another: Mark Viduka joined for £6 million, Robbie Keane for £12 million, then Robbie Fowler for £11 million. They also paid £18 million for defender Rio Ferdinand. They were throwing around money as if it was sand, even though the club's youth set-up was superb. Great young players like Alan Smith, Ian Harte and Jonathan Woodgate were all about to come through the ranks.

He doesn't mention anything about O'Leary and money but does say he was not hands-on at training.

[backstothewall]

I wouldn't read too much into any manager's success (or lack of it) at Villa their fans are very fickle and seem to want every manager out.

I've followed Villa since the McGrath/Townsend/Houghton/Staunton days.

O'Leary was an unmitigated disaster. Any success he had was based on spending fortunes at Leeds. At Villa he had one 6th place finish, achieved in his first season on the back of Graham Taylor's hard work in turning round an ageing squad. It was all downhill from there.

When he left and O'Neill came in it wasn't a moment to soon. One of my best days watching the game. It was a galling experience seeing O'Neill on the Sunderland line on Sunday. How's that for fickle?

[geysir]

And MON never spent any money at Villa in order to build a squad that could finish in the top third?

Dave at Leeds should be judged on what he did with the cheques and the squad, not the fact that he was given the chequebook. However, he was always moaning that he did not have enough quality in the squad in order to compete. The story of the Leeds bubble was much bigger than our hapless Dave could author by himself.

[Charlie Darwin]

MON was the sixth-highest spender in the league and finished sixth every time. I think Leeds were top spenders while O'Leary was there.

[geysir]

I presume MON had more to spend at Villa than our Dave, to attain the dizzy heights of 6th place.
But If I was going to give a cheque book to a manager, I think I would trust MON's judgement better than DOL.

[Charlie Darwin]

Yep, O'Leary quit (or was pushed) right before Randy Lerner took over and ramped up the spending.

[Stuttgart88]

It's not just the headline spending amounts that MON inflated at Villa, he offered very generous salary packages too. Wages to turnover grew to dangerous levels. The Guardian wrote a piece about it. Lerner had enough and MON wasn't impressed so quit. That's how I remember it anyway.

[backstothewall]

It's not just the headline spending amounts that MON inflated at Villa, he offered very generous salary packages too. Wages to turnover grew to dangerous levels. The Guardian wrote a piece about it. Lerner had enough and MON wasn't impressed so quit. That's how I remember it anyway.

I don't think the whole story ever came out. That version of events was widely reported, but money was made available for Houllier which would suggest there was more to it than that. Don't forget he signed Darren Bent, who as any Sunderland fan will tell you left because of the money he was offered at Villa. I'm sure he was on at least 35k at Sunderland, so there must have been money available at Villa.

O'Leary didn't help himself. He had a natural ability to pi5s people off. After he called the fans fickle he never got them back. He did make a few decent signings, but what credit he gained on the Martin Laursen swings, he more than lost on the Milan Baros roundabout. He also benefited greatly from Graham Taylor bringing through the likes of Darrius Vassell and Thomas Hitzlesperger from the Youth system. O'Leary also failed to give the FA Youth Cup winning side of 2002 the 1st teams opportunities they needed, with the exception of Steve Davis. (The Villa youth setup really was excellent back then)

[Lionel Ritchie]

Two interesting quotes regarding Ridsdale in Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink's book

".... he spent money like water, money which belonged to the club. He travelled to matches on private jets, which cost the club £70,000 in one year..."

He doesn't mention anything about O'Leary and money but does say he was not hands-on at training.

That actually reads like Risdale was better with money than I remember. I don't think 70 grand a year would buy all that many flights on a private jet. That golfer chap from Dublin was on the late late a while back and he indicated without being specific that retaining the use of one for his professional and private needs ran to a seven figure sum annually.

[Junior]

It's not just the headline spending amounts that MON inflated at Villa, he offered very generous salary packages too. Wages to turnover grew to dangerous levels. The Guardian wrote a piece about it. Lerner had enough and MON wasn't impressed so quit. That's how I remember it anyway.

Yep - MON rewarded his stalwarts well. Bobo Balde got a ridiculous 5 year contract on £28k a week up at Celtic. Whilst a firm fans favourite and a solid central defender (he wasnt a footballer) this was a ridiculous contract to award. It wasnt even like it was in the early years when there was some money floating around in the SPL and Celtic had signed the likes of Sutton, Hartson etc...This was around 2004/05. Anyway Balde largely sat out the last 3 years of his contract playing hardly at all. No one came in for him or could match his current contract and that was it.....Celtic were saddled with it until the day the contract expired in 2009.

Just one example I know but he does like to splash the cash if he can MON - He is not a 'on a shoe string' manager...not these days anyway.

[Yard of Pace]

I'd argue it's up to the chairman and directors to keep an eye on the money side of things. Managers are like your wife, they'll splurge every cent you have given half the chance.

[Junior]

I agree to a degree but managers are not 10 year old children. They are highly paid and have a resonsibility not only for the on field results but also for the welfare of the club they manage. It has to be a collective responsibility, though chairman/directors need to take the ultimate responsibility as they hire and fire the manager.