In discussing the current plight of LUFC in the past 24 hours, the name Nigel Adins has been mentioned twice as the possible answer to our problems.
Adkins sacking from Southampton has left the footballing word bewildered and it seems unlikely he will be out of work for very long. The 47 year-old from Birkenhead has an impressive CV, getting Scunthorpe promoted having initially joined the Glandford Park as a physio before his double-promotion with the Saints.
What all this has to do with Leeds United is a similar question to how much for a halibut, Leeds after all have Neil Warnock contracted at the helm for another four months.
However could GFH Capital make a bold move, offer the under fire Warnock a passage into early retirement and think long-term about our next appointment.
Post-Barnsley I offered my unease at the "Warnock Out!" Chants, stating that there was no point going for another short-term fix. When Simon Grayson lost his job a year ago, the PR from LS11 was the club felt a new manager could get more out of the squad of players Grayson had assembled. It so nearly went to plan under Neil Redfern, however with the crowd on his back after the Coventry defeat Messers Bates and Harvey flew Warnock out to Monte Carlo and initially the ex QPR boss signed a deal until the end of the 2011/12 season.
Soon it became apparent Warnock was desperate to write-off that wretched season and bring his own team in. Whether you blame a signing policy hamstrung by the takeover fiasco or poor judgement on Warnock's part, in my view its a bit of both, this season particularly our away form has been a massive disappointment and under achievement.
As we reach the three-week mark since the January transfer window opened, I must admit I'm not manically rueing the modest business we have conducted so far. My point is that so far just Ryan Hall and Michael Tonge have arrived on permanent 2 1/2 deals for nominal fees, neither player started Saturday's forgettable clash against Bristol City. If Warnock decided not to play them then there is a good chance our next manager might not either!
Is there any point in letting Warnock "go mad" with the chequebook when by late Spring he will be happily retired on his Devon farm tinkering with his tractor?
Ken Bates estimated in November that £2m worth of wages were being committed to paying players signed by Grayson that Warnock did not want, presumably he meant the likes of Connoly, Rachubka, Nunez, Pugh, Rogers etc. Are we drifting towards another costly deadwood scenario when the new man takes charge?
Robbie Rogers has been paid-off, a bit like Mika Valrynen who reportedly cost us £500,000 in wages and the costs with terminating his contract early. Warnock would need paying up the final few months of his contract, as would Mick Jones, Ronnie Jepson, Chris Short, Andy Leaning and all the other members of Warnock's back room staff. This could run into a seven figure sum for GFH Capital.
However there is a feeling that Adkins is a man who would fit into Elland Road quite nicely and capture the imagination of the Leeds public, who have been slow to buy into the GFH dream so far.
Ultimately itis their call, stick or twist, but Adkins will not be a man in demand for very one with Blackpool reportedly interested.