There has been even more interest in the goings on at Leeds United than usual this week. That's down to the fact that Dennis Wise has been appointed as our new manager. Dennis was at our game on Tuesday night when we lost to Southend in the Carling Cup. He probably got his eyes opened as to the crisis we are in at the moment. It is all down to confidence but now with Dennis coming in, I'm sure that will give everyone at the club the lift we need. He says it is a clean slate for all the squad and already he has impressed the lads with his ideas. I believe the appointment of the new boss is going to be a wise choice. We have been in freefall recently and there has been air of uncertainty around the club. Dennis was talked about as a possible candidate for the manager's job from the day Kevin Blackwell left and now he has come in effectively our season starts here. As a footballer, Dennis was a better player than he was given credit for. He was a big factor in Wimbledon's rise up the ranks and remember he was an inspirational figure as the Chelsea captain for many years helping them win lots of trophies before all the money came in at Stamford Bridge. You don't stay at a club like Chelsea for as long as he did and not have something about you. He also played international football for England so he knows what is required at the highest level. From my point of view with Northern Ireland that is good because he will understand how much of an honour it is to play for your country. And also how important it is to me. As a manager he has proved he can do a good job having enjoyed successful spells with Millwall and Swindon. He brings with him his assistant Gustavo Poyet, who like Dennis has bags of experience and knowledge. He was a quality player as well. On a personal note I'm really looking forward to working with both of them and I know the rest of the boys at Leeds think the same. Despite our recent results, as I've said before in this column, I do believe that we have real potential at Elland Road and Dennis and Gustavo have the knowhow to fulfil it. There is no doubt that with a great run from here on in, we could still make the top six in the Championship and reach the play-offs. I remember when Iain Dowie took over in mid season at Crystal Palace. They were really struggling in our league but big Iain got them going and Palace went on this amazing unbeaten run and they made the top six. They then won the play-off final at the Millennium Stadium and were promoted to the Premiership which proves that even if you start badly, you can still finish on a high. That is our aim. We play Southend again tomorrow. The last thing we wanted was to lose to them in the Carling Cup in midweek, but if someone had said we could only win once against them this week, I think the vast majority of our fans would go for success in the league. Hopefully a good crowd will turn out for the new gaffer's first game in charge and that we can start the new era with a bang. And finally get our season up and running.
Verner tHe LiTtLe YeLlOw DaFfOdIl @}-,-'-- _______________________________________________ the Leeds List is an unmoderated mailing list and the list administrators accept no liability for the personal views and opinions of contributors. Leedslist mailing list [email protected] http://list.zetnet.co.uk/mailman/listinfo/leedslist oh alright then :-)
