Leeds United: Paul Heckingbottom fighting for job after just three months in charge
05.05, 29 May 2018 UPDATED 07.05, 29 May 2018
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Paul Heckingbottom is thought to be fighting for his job
PAUL HECKINGBOTTOM is fighting for his job - after just three months as Leeds boss.
Heckingbottom’s future is in doubt following crunch talks with Andrea Radrizzani last week which left Leeds Italian owner considering his manager’s future.
Radrizzani and his board are not sure Heckingbottom is the right man to lead a promotion push next season after the former Barnsley chief, 40, failed to make the expected impact as Thomas Christiansen’s replacement.
Christiansen got the bullet in February after just eight months in charge because he couldn’t maintain United’s assault on the play-offs.
But the Dane won 15 of his 35 games at the helm and the fallen Yorkshire giants were still in touch with the Championship’s top six when he was axed.
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Heckingbottom was hired to end a run of poor results and get Leeds’ promotion challenge back on track.
But he won only four and lost eight of his 16 games before the campaign ended with Leeds in 13th place.
Massimo Cellino, Radrizzani’s sack-happy predecessor, worked his way through six managers in his crazy three-year reign at Elland Road, and his successor is anxious not to be tarred with the same brush .
But Radrizzani is totally committed to returning Leeds to the Premier League and won’t hesitate to appoint his third boss in 12 months if he believes a change of manager gives them the best chance of promotion next season.
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Jaap Stam - 14/1
Paul Clement - 12/1
Paul Heckingbottom - 10/1
Hannes Wolf - 10/1
Marco Silva - 6/1
Simon Grayson - 5/1
Gordon Strachan - 7/2
Steve McClaren - 3/1 FAV
Former Chelsea and Premier League winning Leicester chief Claudio Ranieri has already been touted as a possible replacement, while ex-Swansea manager Michael Laudrup is being linked after leaving Saudi outfit Al Rayyan.
Leeds are also keeping an eye on Steve Bruce’s situation following Aston Villa’s defeat by Fulham in last Saturday’s Championship play-off final.
Villa boss Bruce has already won four promotions to the top flight as a manager - two at Hull and two more with Birmingham.
