Her choice of inspirational figure suggests a willingness to curry favour with one audience by showing two fingers to anotherAt Conservative party hustings in Leeds six weeks ago, Liz Truss declared she wanted to “channel the spirit of Don Revie”. Which suggests she wasn’t entirely familiar with his experience of leading his country. Still, as she takes office amid dismal poll ratings, with a sceptical parliamentary party and an election looming in 2024, the new prime minister may just regard three years in the job, followed by a lucrative and widely reviled sinecure in the Middle East, as a pretty decent outcome.Of course, political coverage in this country has long been influenced by the confected drama and basic unseriousness of...
Newcastle’s challenge against the champions, Anthony Taylor unfairly in the spotlight and a big Monday showdownCutting off the supply lines between Harry Kane and Son Heung-min worked a treat for Chelsea last Sunday, until the introduction of Richarlison for the ineffective Ryan Sessegnon provided added distraction for the home side’s defenders, his off-the-ball runs repeatedly pulling them out of position. The Brazilian will be hoping to start against Wolves and his inclusion in the lineup could well spell disappointment for Son. Fitness permitting, Clément Lenglet is likely to fill in for the injured Cristian Romero and, with Sessegnon looking a good bet to make way for Ivan Perisic, Tottenham’s uncharacteristically early transfer dealings are already looking as sensible as they...
Outside the elite, eventually the best players move on and even with money to spend fresh recruits remain gamblesThe good news for Leeds is that last season’s injury crisis means they have had plenty of practice playing without their stars. The bad news is that this time it’s permanent. Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha are both on their way and so Leeds, suddenly but not unpredictably, are cast in the familiar position of a club on the rise seeing their greatest assets are stripped away and needing to rebuild. The inevitability of the pattern is one of the great sadnesses of the financial structures of modern football.Phillips is 26. He was born in Leeds. He is a Leeds fan. He joined...
Against the odds Leeds have survived a torrid season in the Premier League following a nerve-shredding win at BrentfordAs the Leeds players sprinted across the pitch to celebrate with their fans at the final whistle, Jesse Marsch had a moment to himself. After a nerve-shredding afternoon that saw the American go through every emotion watching his team eventually secure their Premier League status for another season, it must have felt like vindication.Having been given the unenviable task of replacing Marcelo Bielsa at the end of February after Leeds had conceded 21 goals in just six matches, it all seemed likely to end in tears for the man who lasted less than half a season at RB Leipzig in Germany earlier...
Recruitment and injuries have exposed the fact the Premier League strugglers are simply not rich enough for relegation not to be a threatThe Leeds fans at the Reebok Stadium were raucous. “We’ll support you ever more,” they bellowed, because when relegation comes defiance is pretty much the only option that remains. Did they know just how long ever more would be? Did they have any idea just what a journey they would have to undertake before, 16 years later, they next played a Premier League game?Certainly hope was scarce that afternoon in May 2004. Mark Viduka had swept home a penalty to give the away side a lead they had barely deserved, but was then booked for jabbing a heel...