Former Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has opened up on the regrets he has from his time at Elland Road, and revealed two “world-class” managers could’ve been brought in to replace Jesse Marsch.
49ers looking to establish Leeds in the Premier League
During the Radrizzani era, Leeds were unable to establish themselves as Premier League regulars, being relegated at the end of the 2022-23 campaign following a tumultuous season, with Sam Allardyce taking charge of the final four games.
Following the relegation, the club was sold to the 49ers, who, after installing Daniel Farke as manager, oversaw the Whites’ return to the top flight, and there have been encouraging signs at the start of the new season.
Despite widespread reports suggesting the owners were thinking about sacking Farke after promotion, they ultimately stuck by the German, whose side have gone on to amass eight points from their first seven games, although they arguably should’ve taken more.
It remains to be seen how costly the late goals conceded against Fulham and AFC Bournemouth are at the end of the campaign, but Farke is likely to be happy that his side remain outside the relegation zone.
The 48-year-old has twice been relegated from the Premier League, which means it was arguably a risk to stick by him, and it has now been revealed that Leeds could have appointed two established top-level managers if they’d sacked Marsch earlier.
In an interview with The Daily Mail, Radrizzani said: “We spent a lot of time trying to find someone with a similar style of play as Marcelo. I regret that we didn’t change sooner. Jesse is a good coach but I could see signs of frustration and misunderstanding with the team.
“We could have had Unai Emery or Julen Lopetegui but we missed that window. Then we tried with Arne Slot and Andoni Iraola after the World Cup but it was too late. It was my responsibility.”
"World-class" Emery and Slot could've guided Leeds to safety
It is painful to see the list of managers Leeds managers missed out on, especially considering they ended the 2022-23 season with Allardyce in the dugout, with Emery and Slot going on to prove they could’ve built legacies at Elland Road.
Lauded as “world-class” by Ross Barkley, the Aston Villa manager has overseen a dramatic transformation at Villa Park, guiding them to the Champions League and Europa League in back-to-back seasons.
Slot, of course, has also gone on to prove himself at the top level, leading Liverpool to the Premier League title last season, during which time he also received high praise from Accrington Stanley boss John Doolan.
Eventually, things worked out for Leeds, with Farke restoring their Premier League status, but it is no surprise Radrizzani has major regrets about some of his decisions while at Elland Road.