New Leeds transfer and head coach/manager rumours thread

[Oscar]

Thought I would create a new transfer rumours thread and head coach rumours thread.
Have seen a lot of reports saying that Dougie Freedman could be head coach next season.
And that we are looking to sign a player called Marvin Bakalorz (another defensive midfielder ) who is playing in the second division of Germany for SC Paderborn 07.

[1964white]

Well i hope we're gonna do much better than that on both counts

[Norm]

Why don't we just discount rumours?

[1964white]

Why don't we just discount rumours?

You can guarantee any new signings will be at a discount price

[The Subhuman]

Why don't we just discount rumours?

I'm authorised to go up to a 30% discount

[lufc1304]

Dougie Freedman?? I rate him less than I rate Evans!! And a German second division player. No thanks on either front, even with faaip's 30% discount!!!

[1964white]

So between us we've discounted those two next 2nd raters please.....

[mav]

I can't find any rumours tbh, no betting who the next manager will be either!

[Oscar]

To be honest I don't think Dougie Freedman is that bad a manager/head coach. Did a great job at Crystal Palace, however, did underachieve at Bolton in my opinion.
I think he did reasonably well at Nottingham Forest, considering the transfer ban and losing key players to injury and Antonio went to West Ham.

From what I have read: he is an excellent tactician his Forest team was the most impressive team I have seen at Elland Road this season he completely outwitted Evans on that particular day in my opinion and whenever I watched his Forest team on Sky they were impressive especially defensively plus I remember his Bolton team winning 5-1 at Elland Road, however, it is his player management/ team selection which isn't so good from what I have read with many players appearing to be very happy whenever he has been sacked, I remember reading about several Bolton and Forest players criticising him when sacked.

He did a 8/10 at Crystal Palace, a 6/10 job at Nottingham Forest and a 4/10 job at Bolton in my opinion. Which makes him overall an average manager rather than a poor manager in my opinion. He wouldn't be my first choice probably not even in my top 10 and he isn't an improvement on Steve Evans in my opinion, however, if Freedman was appointed it wouldn't be the worst appointment we will have ever made.

[Oscar]

I can't find any rumours tbh, no betting who the next manager will be either!

I saw it on Twitter at first and then googled Dougie Freedman and then various articles where saying that we are looking to make him our next head coach. And then I saw the rumour about us signing another defensive midfielder.
Football Rumours most of the time don't happen, however, I thought I would make a new thread as I think we are going to see several different rumours about new head coaches and players.
Not sure why there is no betting who the next manager will be , I would assume it is because no announcement on Evans future has been announced yet.

[danhirons]

dougie freedman - no chance and no thanks

will be very surprised if cellino replaces evans with another relatively unproven British manager

[Wolfetoneleeds]

dougie freedman - no chance and no thanks

will be very surprised if cellino replaces evans with another relatively unproven British manager

To what? A relatively unproven foreign manager (cough cough head coach)
Which is what we will be getting!!

[Crude]

José Mourinho seen in the Elland Road carpark. Somebody on twatter said so, so it must be true. AND he hasn't officially denied coming to Leeds United, so it's a done deal, natch.

[drsdadsotherson]

I was going to manage a local team, but I'd forgotten some vital pieces of equipment.

In the end I just didn't have the balls for it.

[1964white]

I was going to manage a local team, but I'd forgotten some vital pieces of equipment.

In the end I just didn't have the balls for it.

:hahaha:

[weasel]

Interesting how people are quick to write off a player from the German second division without even knowing anything about him, yet I am sure most wouldn't mind having the former French division 2 player that has just been named Premiership Player Of The Year. It is not about where they come from but how good they are and many players have been written off before having great careers. How many of the Leicester players would we have written off as being no good if we had the chance to sign them a couple of years ago - Vardy non league springs to mind.

[lufc1304]

Good point, weasel, and I'm guilty of that. So it's a maybe on the player, but Freedman can still do one!!

[1964white]

Interesting how people are quick to write off a player from the German second division without even knowing anything about him, yet I am sure most wouldn't mind having the former French division 2 player that has just been named Premiership Player Of The Year. It is not about where they come from but how good they are and many players have been written off before having great careers. How many of the Leicester players would we have written off as being no good if we had the chance to sign them a couple of years ago - Vardy non league springs to mind.

Leicester have a decent scouting network, unconvinced LUFC have

[Oscar]

Interesting how people are quick to write off a player from the German second division without even knowing anything about him, yet I am sure most wouldn't mind having the former French division 2 player that has just been named Premiership Player Of The Year. It is not about where they come from but how good they are and many players have been written off before having great careers. How many of the Leicester players would we have written off as being no good if we had the chance to sign them a couple of years ago - Vardy non league springs to mind.

My main problem mate isn't that he is playing in the German 2nd division, it is that we are being rumoured to be targeting another defensive midfielder the one area of the pitch we do not need to strengthen in (assuming Bridcutt signs permanently). Leicester may have signed unproven players such as Mahrez and Kante, however, they don't just sign unproven players they sign: Fuchs,Huth, Okazaki and Albrighton as well all players who have experience at premier league level/similar level to premier league. Even when they signed Mahrez and Vardy in the championship they had already signed proven Championship players such as: Wood, Nugent, Beckford, Mills and Schmeichal etc. I think it is important to sign more proven players than high potential players, as proven players are are less likely to struggle to make an impact on the team in my opinion and if a teams high potential players struggle to make an impact (like Vardy did at first) they have proven players who can take there place in the team when necessary.
The only proven players we have signed in the last 2 years (permanently) at this level is Chris Wood and Billy Sharp. Ok Billy Sharp wasn't a successful signing, however, it is no coincidence to me that Chris Wood has been the best permanent signing Leeds have made in the last 2 years in my opinion as he is the only proven Championship player we signed last summer. I am not saying high potential players cannot be a success but I don't think we can make all/the majority our signings high potential players.
I don't mind signing high potential players, however, I think we need to sign 3 or 4 proven players at this level first.

[weasel]

I think a lot depends on the formation we are set to play and whether the Bridcutt signing is likely to happen. I don't expect us to sign Bridcutt as his wages will be a lot higher than the rest of the Leeds players and like it or not we have to have a sensible wage cap. If we can get a player similar to him but at a fraction of the cost (both transfer fee and wages) then it is far likelier the club would go down that route. The hope is that if the club does go down this route that they have adequately scouted this player and are confident he can come in and do as well as Bridcutt. The fear would be that he is simply a cheap alternative that won't be good enough.

Formation wise I don't have a problem with us playing 2 defensive midfielders if it frees up he full backs to push forward and also gives the rest of the midfield the freedom to attack.

We have to become a much harder to beat team next season. Too often this season we have beaten ourselves by conceding soft goals. Cutting out the mistakes would probably give us an extra 15 points which would see us into the play-offs. Making it harder for teams to run through us will help too. How many 1-0 wins have we had this season? The answer is 3. If we just need to score 1 goal to win rather than 2 or 3 then we will get a lot more wins.

For me this team isn't a bad team it just needs a bit more determination about it. It needs players who will put their bodies on the line and protect a 1-0 lead. We need battlers, people who will be leaders on the pitch and stop us being a soft touch.