Massimo Cellino has given the biggest hint yet that Brian McDermott will still be the Leeds United manager at the start of next season.
It has been another eventful campaign for the Elland Road club, who have ended in the bottom half of the Championship table and 15 points off their target of a playoff position. Their cause hasn’t been helped by issues off the pitch, which were only recently resolved when Cellino was given the go-ahead to complete a takeover of the club.
The controversial Italian had hoped this purchase would have been rubberstamped in January, and had this been the case, it is likely that McDermott would have been sacked. However, the former Reading boss remains in charge, and now the Leeds owner has dropped his biggest hint yet that this will not change during the summer.
“I must have a coach who is very good on the field and helps me manage by choosing players,” he told the BBC. “If it’s McDermott or anyone else – that we must not be insecure. We are engaged for two years of his contract and that’s important because we can’t waste money. I can’t just change manager and bring another cost to the club.”
Last month it was widely reported that Cellino was ready to turn to compatriot Benito Carbone, who had even visited the club’s training ground. Whether this still has any substance remains to be seen, but what is clear is that McDermott wants to remain in charge and he feels the events of this season will make him a better manager.
“Leeds United fans don’t give up. Leeds United’s manager won’t give up because of that,” he told the Yorkshire Post. “The things that have gone on here make you a better manager because you know you can tough situations out. I’ve certainly had to tough this out but there was never any doubt in my mind that I would tough it out and try to get us to the next stage. The next stage is the summer and building again. I might need to draw breath and find a bit of time but then I want to get on with things again.”
