To quote Warnock autobiography (I think he's a crap manager and a bit of a dick...complete liar I don't) "It wasn’t just the defeats that worried me though , suddenly our best striker and top goalscorer had stopped working. Luciano Becchio had been enjoying a terrific season, but unless you’re Barcelona that causes problems because the player, and his advisers, start thinking about a move. I soon had enough calls from people claiming to be in his camp to know his head was elsewhere. It was clear by early December he wanted to go – before the Chelsea game when he scored and kissed the badge. At that stage he wanted to go to Turkey or China. The Turks were offering to nearly treble his wages so inevitably I get a player coming to see me telling me he’s 29 and this is his big chance to make himself secure for life. I know he’s as good as telling me if I don’t let him go I might not get the best out of him in the rest of the season. But I can’t tell the local press there is a gun to my head. The players all know he wants away, the manager knows, but you can’t blacken his character in public if you are going to sell him as you’ll reduce his value – and there’s always the chance the window will shut and you’ll be left with him and will need him to want to play for you. So the fans – who love him – moan when you leave him out, and the press ask why, but you can’t say anything. It’s difficult. The issue came to a head when we lost at Barnsley in January and to my eyes Becchio never broke sweat. They were bottom of the table and Yorkshire rivals whose fans love to put one over ‘big’ Leeds. Our fans, for the first time, turned on the team, and me. I made the point of staying out on the pitch until last, and clapping the fans. I got dog’s abuse. I knew after that I had to do something about Becchio so I spoke to his agent on the Monday and told him how disappointed I was at Becchio’s attitude. In reply the agent let slip Becchio had rung him an hour before the game. I was gobsmacked, but I didn’t let on, just asked him a question that ensured he confirmed it. I then asked Becchio if his mind was on the game, he said it was, but when I pointed out he’d been on the phone to his agent an hour before kick-off he had suddenly nothing to say. He couldn’t deny it. So he had to go, but I needed to get a replacement. One player I’ve always admired, especially since a performance for Millwall against my QPR , is Steve Morison. I tried to sign him when QPR went up but Norwich beat us to him. He did well for them in their first season in the Premier League but was now on the bench most weeks. If he had been pushed out by Bates and Co why would Warnock not admit it. It's obvious him and Bates wasn't on good terms. Just listen to this: "He was clever, he knew I believed if you shook someone’s hand you had given your word. A couple of times he phoned me and he would talk about this or that then throw in at the end: ‘Don’t forget you shook my hand.’ He would also say, ‘You have signed 12 players – that should be enough to get promotion,’ but when I had promised him I’d get promotion if he would let me sign the players I hadn’t factored in Leeds selling Robert Snodgrass. That was a massive blow. I tried desperately to keep him. Not only could we not replace a player like that I didn’t even get the money to spend. I was doing Ken a favour in a way because the fans were demonstrating against him and my arrival calmed everything down. Ken was looking to sell and he wasn’t going to invest so I knew it would be hard , but I thought we had a chance. Then I realised the team wasn’t as good as I had thought it was and I would have to rebuild" Also when I remember that Barnsley game (been 1 of the 5,000) where we lost 2-0 he was right about Becchio he didn't try at all that game rarely ran at all.
I'd rather we got players in that cared for Leeds rather than 'been set for life'. On another note suggest everyone reads Warnock's autobiography. Not necessarily for his life story (although I did feel a tad sorry for him coming to us been lied to about having money, forced to sell Snodgrass, squad not as good as he thought, banking on major investment to come through and when it does finds out it's a 3 year plan ect) but more to find out about Bates underhand tactics. For example read this on Gywn Williams. "The one constant in all the years under Ken Bates has been Gwyn Williams. He’s obviously influential, but I never did work out just what his role was. He’s listed in the programme as technical director and I know he is involved in the academy. Yet instead of watching their games on a Saturday he’d be with the first team, even though his only involvement with us was to help me bring in Jerome Thomas as he knew Steve Clarke from their Chelsea days. I suppose he’s been Ken’s eyes and ears for more than 20 years – in fact, it was he who showed me round the training ground when I nearly joined Chelsea in 1991." Confirming what most people expected. Williams was just Bates spy in the camp to make sure everyone was following orders while Ken was in Monaco. Also he basically said what I've said for many times. Been out spent by teams like Barnsley (before this season obviously) not getting relegated was an over achievement. "Driving south I reflected on the past fourteen months. Put simply there was never enough money to achieve the promotion I, and the fans, had hoped for. The team I inherited was weaker than the one that had been promoted from League One because players like Johnny Howson, Max Gradel, Jermaine Beckford , and Bradley Johnson had been sold or allowed to leave. While Cardiff were spending £ 10m and running away with promotion, I had to sell Snodgrass and Becchio. Most of the division spent more than we did – in the circumstances we over-achieved."
I would have had far more respect for warnock if he had walked at the beginning when snodgrass was sold
He was banking on major investment coming through to drag us kicking and screaming over the line into the play offs. When GFH(C) came out with their 3 year plan it ended any idea of that.
I ****ing hate Warnock and everything he says or writes, its to try and pass blame away from himself every time. I have no sympathy for that ****ing idiot, I said when he was appointed that he would be a terrible manager and one of the worst we ever had. One of the most overrated managers in the game imo. Overachieved, ****ing give me a break. If he overachieved then what did McD do when he came in and took over for the last few games to avoid relegation. All of his signings were terrible, wasting money on so many average players and playing the tactics he did. Everyone always forgets that Warnock spent 3.5m in the summer transfer window, I agree we needed to get rid of Becchio at the time but he went to Norwich and proposed the swap deal for Morison not the other way round. He is just trying to gain sympathy in his book, have we all forgotten what he said about Ross in there? Only for Ross to say that it was a load of bollocks.
BM has spent 2 mil on two players alone. Warnock spent 3.5 mil on 11 players (some who turned out to be decent Varney, Pelts, Tonge, Green, Austin!, Kenny, Diouf, S.Warnock ect). I'm not saying I liked Warnock, I'm not saying he was a good manager, I'm not even saying he wasn't a dickhead...I'm just saying anyone who is appointed Leeds United Manager under Bates deserves some sympathy and to say it wasn't hard for any manager including Warnock is just playing into Bates propaganda that it was poor managers that was the problem not Bates selling the quality and reinvesting it into his penthouse in Monaco. And from what I read all he said about Ross was that he came into his office annoyed that he'd travelled to Ipswich while Dioufy hadn't and he should start the upcoming match instead of Dioufy which Warnock replied with was Dioufy not travelling was to rest him for the upcoming game. Hardly called his missus a slapper now. It's obvious Becchio had his head turned because the weeks up to his sale he had not interest in the games he played (On top of what Warnock said). It was inevitable. Once strikers start getting close to the 30 they start think '**** me i haven't got long left what am I going to do when I can't play' Becchio saw his chance to be 'set for life' just like Beckford (who of course if he wanted to play for Leeds that much could take a wage reduction....yeah didn't think so). If Warnock was bullshitting why hasn't Becchio come out and called him on it. This is why I wouldn't have him back. Not saying it's wrong to think of the mortgage but rather have players whose biggest concern was the next 3 points than been 'set for life'.
I am not sure who you are referring to here but guessing it must be the manager and coaching staff as us fans have seen nothing of him to make a judgement, and quite a number of us are scratching our heads as to why he has not been given a chance. Unless there has been something happening behind the scenes that we are all unaware of, I would happily state that he has been very unfairly treated since his arrival in January.
I disagree hugely with some of those players you are saying turned out decent but I will never show Warnock sympathy. Also I said 3.5m last summer as well so Warnock wouldn't count in that, technically Morison was valued at around 2m in the swap with Becchio so if you wanted to include that he spent over 5.5m on players. Also BM has only signed Murphy for 1m and Wootton for 100k so dunno where you get 2m from. He said a hell of a lot more about Ross as well by the way, questioning his commitment to Warnock's tactics and Ross went mental saying he plays anywhere for the team and does whatever he can for the team. Warnock tries to play everyone into his hands and just seeks sympathy constantly, its never his fault. Just look at all the excuses he came up with when he got sacked from QPR. And also I don't care about the Becchio thing, it was the right time to sell him. He had reached the maximum amount he would ever be worth, the replacement was just ****.
Agree with you there Josh other than not caring about Becchio. Becchio loved being with us. I feel it was all part of the usual Bates sell our assets when we can strategy and the coaching staff publicly were marketing him. As for him not working in training or on the pitch anymore - Warnock influence? A player wanting to leave a hostile workplace? Becchio gave us great service while at Leeds for 4 years. Not much to gripe about.
Possibly not but its time to look forward not back. To listen to some of you every player who pulled on the shirt was a Messi or Ronalscum. There are plenty out there better than bechio, beck ford, how son and the like. Snoddy and max were a cut above though and I would be pleased if they returned.
Obviously didn't love us enough to stay with us. I believe Bates forced out several players...why? Because there's evidence to say so...Ben Parker (Howson's best mate) came out and said Howson was forced out, Kasper came out and said he was told to accept Leicester's offer or spend the next season on the bench, Killkenny obviously had a issue with Bates ect. There is no evidence to say Becchio was forced out infact the opposite. Warnock alleges he a) talked to his agent 1 hour before a Yorkshire derby and b) came to him and told him he was 29 and had a chance to be set for life. Now if you believe Bates forced Becchio out you have to ask why didn't Warnock say so? He obviously wasn't and isn't on good terms with Bates so why would he fabricate an entire story just to save Bates face when he had already come out and said Bates forced him to sell Snodgrass? I suppose you could say that Becchio wanted to leave because of Warnock but if that was true as opposed to Warnock's account of the things why hasn't Becchio come out and publicly denied that he left Leeds to benefit him financially? If Warnock's account was completely or partially fabricated then surely Becchio would come out and defend himself? These two things lead me to believe that Becchio was not forced out by Bates because Warnock has no reason to lie about that if it was true and if he hadn't left for financially benefit like Warnock claims he would of come out and denied it like Ross has. He hasn't which makes me think it is true. Which leads to the question would you accept a player back that had already left us to fill his pockets? I think if you answer that just because you think he was a 'legend' during his time with us then Becchio and his agents are taking you for morons.
Bates didn't force becchio out, but I also think it wasn't becchios first choice to leave. Was forced out by Warnock because he was desperate to sign Morison
Warnock was dumped on by Bates, but having realised that surely he should have had enough balls to walk. After that, he has to take all the blame for bringing in a horde of largely similar players and getting them to play the worse brand of football seen at Elland Road in living memory.
