Thomas the Viking Matador

Leeds have their new manager, and I, like everyone else didn't see this coming ... my first reaction was WTF, but after taking a bit of time to reflect things are starting to make sense

TRACK RECORD
Tommy has had three seasons experience in Cyprus ... he led Lanarca to 4th in his first season, and second in the next season, finishing just one point behind Apoel ... this performance got him the gig at Apoel, where he won the Super Cup, the League title and took them to the last 16 of the Europa Lge for the first time in their history

in the EL his team topped their group ahead of a very powerful Olympiacos, and they also knocked out the more favoured Athletic Bilbao in the first knock-out stage ... his team's progress was stopped by Anderlecht

so even after such a successful season he got sacked, because he committed the ultimate crime of losing to Apoel's big rivals Limassol in the Cup Final ... such is the nature of Cypriot football, a very combustible arena with unpredictable club owners who make Cellino look like a kitten

TIMING OF APPROACH
it is very interesting that Tommy left Apoel the same day that Monk resigned, so it makes sense that he was an early name on the Leeds shortlist ... Radz has stated this is the case, as has Kinnear ... he had been identified because of his success and his win ratio of 59% plus the fact that he was schooled at Barcelona and has played at the highest level ... in 2003 he finished top scorer in the Bundesliga whilst playing for VfL Bochum

MENTALITY
Tommy stated in an interview that he learnt a lot from Cruyff, as well as from top class players ... he said has taken this learning into his management career ... now this sounds like someone who has a plan, and who understands how he wants to do things ... his win ratio of 59% shows he knows how to win, and getting Lanarca ahead of Limassol and so close to Apoel takes some doing ... he seems capable of doing the one thing all managers strive to do, and that is to get the best out of his players ... considering the number of young players we have, Tommy does look a decent fit to help them progress even further

"DRAWN OUT" NEGOTIATION
it becomes clearer that this negotiation wasn't "drawn out" but more an agreed timeframe ... firstly, Kinnear only joined Leeds 5th June, and he and Radz would have been discussing their shortlist and preferred candidate ... then, of course, the meeting needed to be agreed, as we now know in Madrid, far away from prying eyes (good on you Radz)

there is a third reason the meeting took that little bit longer to take place ... Tommy wanted time to prepare and ensure his presentation to Radz and Kinnear was professional and precise ... Tommy clearly wanted to prove his desire to be Leeds boss, and to show he was the right man for the job ... serious brownie points for fighting to get the gig

what I like about Tommy's approach was that it wasn't the usual "here's my CV, look what I've done .. here's my formation, it works" that these cookie cutter British managers trot out ... no, Tommy went much further than that

Tommy prepared an analysis of every Leeds player, and also dissected a few of Monk's games in charge ... he showed where Leeds were strong, where they were weak, and highlighted what was needed to improve the team going forward ... this is impressive, and underlines why Tommy didn't rush to get the meeting done with Radz ... this attitude gets my respect for sure

THE FUTURE
well, we all know just how tough and unforgiving this Championship is, and many a club expecting promotion has run aground unceremoniously ... the Championship shows no respect to a club's size, or how much money it spends ... it is a brutal league, probably the best in the world for excitement and unpredictable results ... one thing is for sure, Tommy will need to learn very quickly

at least there is a big plus for him ... he joins a club that finally has quality, stable leadership in place ... the fans are returning and supporting the team ... there is a decent squad in place with experience of being at the sharp end of the league, and with the determination to go one better ... Tommy has a huge opportunity at Leeds, and he will know this ... the fact that he is a winner by nature means he will be highly driven to succeed in his new role, and he knows this is his one chance to get to manage in the Prem

I am starting to like the look of our new manager, and if he brings his obvious high level of preparation and organisation to the job, then we may well be in very good hands ... the next step is the transfer market, and who Leeds get in ... we will have a much clearer picture come August, for now Tommy can get his feet under his shiny new desk at Thorp Arch and start preparing his squad

hopefully Pep will stay, but I have a feeling that Boro will throw silly money at him to get him to join Monk ... the fact that Agnew hasn't been named as Monk's assistant tells me that there is every chance that Pep will join him

well done Radz for taking the time to conduct a proper interview process and to keep things in-house ... I like this new, professional Leeds, although I'm not quite used to it just yet




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Billy, I like it too, and as always I really like your consistently positive take on all things LUFC. Ignore the moaner(s) Bud.

I have the feeling that as someone said earlier, if we win the first 2 all will be sweet, at least for a while. If we don't, the naysaying will build quickly to a crescendo.

What chance acceptance of real progress over a number of years, which appears to be the new approach?

 

Crackin' article, Billy. So glad you didny bugger off.

I wasn't aware of most of what you've written, and I have to say that his attitude, approach & preparation for the interview is HUGELY impressive. I'm encouraged. We still have the basis of a very good team, so who knows this season? We're not as far behind as some might suggest.

Could I speculate that we might go to Cyprus for our pre-season?

 

Anybody can make events fit a point of view. There is no evidence that supports Billys blind faith.
Cypriot football.... Fecking hell even chesh would get a game for any of their teams. Make no mistake we were turned down by at least three other water melons.

This is a cheap option with less than 5% of still being in place in eight months.

Long term ambitions for promotion is pr spin for lowering fans expectations.

 

Nice article Billy but Cypriot football is very poor, apart from maybe the top two teams they are all part timers. It really is like Celtic in Scotland. Most of their teams would struggle in our 3rd tier although granted it doesn't explain their progress in the Europa League.

I'm going to fully support the new guy and hope we have uncovered a hidden talent but unless we strengthen it doesn't matter who we have in charge.

I still don't believe this guy was on any shortlist, seriously a coach leaves his job in Cyprus and attention is drawn? I don't think so. No matter how this is glossed up this guy wasn't on any initial short lists IMHO

 

http://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co....it-over-unknown-thomas-christiansen-1-8598201

We will have to wait and see... The first one entitled Disaster isn't promising

 

First week of August would be perfect - not sure what Jan will think of Ben & I disappearing from the pool for hours on end and coming home pissed singing ALAW - still, needs must

 

This is the most important piece, shows the lengths he's prepared to go as well as his analysing and dissecting capabilities, sounds like he's not just a "pick same team all time and hope".

looks like he's prepared to chop and change for the need rather than necessity, which is what we need......

 

Hope you're right and this doesn't turn out to be Radz's 'Hockaday' moment. Monk raised expectations for this season with a 7th placed finish. This could go against the owners if we struggle under the new coach.

 

i am going to side with Billy on this & hope the Chipmoaner is wrong about all down to money saving. I think that the well assembled top team Radz has assembled is Peemier class ready for promotion, I hrdly think appointing the cruicial final piece from Aldi is a good plan, so I do believe they have chosen wisely in their experienced eyes.

Lets stop the bleating & watch what happens and Remember Monk was pants to start with, give the guy time.

As for Monks team, if rumors are correct no way will Pep follow Monk this time. beattie has & Agnew staying on so suspect Beattie will be No2

 

So who were these 3 people that turned us down, and what did they turn down - the opportunity to apply, a job offer, or what?

If your source is the press, then think again. Nothing was leaked.

 

Please don't think I am knocking the new guy before he starts but putting my sensible hat on...

Thomas employs several scouts to watch the other teams and he adapts his teams play to suit who they are playing against, it sounds great doesn't it, a master tactician but this is the Championship, not the Cyprus first divsision.

They play 26 games in a season, their are only 14 teams in the division, try scouting and watching every team in the Championship, a far harder task.

He was in charge of the best team, they have won the title 26 times since 1935 and the two cups on offer 34 times. The calibre of opponenents meant it would be quite easy for his players to play slightly different in order to combat and beat inferior opposition

He had the quality to hand to chop and change against that inferior competition for the most part, the calibre he will come up against in the Championship is far far superior, it is like chalk and cheese.

We won't be playing against any part timers, we won't have the depth to chop and change to suit the opposition, Wood plays one style, Sacko plays one style, you try telling them to do something different because we are up against a team that plays a certain way and it isn't going to work.

I'm going to support Thomas but he is in for a nasty shock unless Rads is going to dig deeper than anyone before.

Cyprus population is just 800,000 when you take away the occupied north. The average wage of a Cypriot footballer is 25,000 - 50,000 Euro per year this average is bumped up by the top few teams who have a dozen of so aging foreign players from Brazil, Portugal, Holland and Argentina.

 

1. phil kane‏@philkane7 2h2 hours ago
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   Replying to @EllandBack1
   Makes sense to me lad
   
   
   
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   Zayed A Al-Mutawakel‏@Zayed17 2h2 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   I was pretty perimistic at first tbh, starting to warm to the new gaffer the more I read about him, deserves the chance to prove himself
   
   
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   david_cusworth‏@MrDavidCusworth 3h3 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   Impressive. Give the guy a chance - he's earned it.
   
   
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   Beau d'Lollocks‏@andrewlillie2 3h3 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   Very well written.
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   Charlie Curran‏@peppchefcharlie 2h2 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   Where did the details from his interview come from. Great piece though. Fits in with my gut feeling
   
   
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   Jacqueline Higgins‏@Jacqui21111963 2h2 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   Well written article - enjoyed reading it.
   
   
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   Ben Taylor‏@bennytaylor1984 2h2 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   A Very good read to be fair #lufc #mot
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   Adam‏@adamwaller82 3h3 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   @AllunWaller
   
   
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   CMD‏@mudballs63 3h3 hours ago
   Replying to @EllandBack1
   Very good, Monk and Pep don't get on, Beattie is Monks mate, up to TC about Pep I suppose
   

 

I mean this genuinely, but i wish I had billy's optimism - the world is a better place when you look for the good. There's merit in much of what is said but it looks a little rose-tinted from my seat.

It's all going to come down to whether TC is backed and whether his master plan is aligned with Orta's, who will be doing the recruitment. Of all our 'management team' it's orta that worries me most with respect to what we've heard coming from the boro camp. His relationship with karanka probably made karanka a none-starter for the leeds job.

I don't know what will happen with pep but it would be a surprise to see him go to boro, he wasn't seeing eye to eye with monk at the tail end of last season.

 

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glad you have a lifebelt mighty, you'll need it next season when you get that sinking feeling again.

 

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you think Christiansen will be an oarsome manager?

 

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