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O'Leary in line for a comeback
O'Leary in line for a comeback
Tuesday, 23rd Oct 2007 07:50

David O'Leary could be in line for a return to management.

According to reports, ex-Leeds boss O'Leary is the favourite to succeed Steve Staunton as Republic of Ireland boss.

Staunton left the Eire job on Tuesday by "mutual consent" as the Irish failed to qualify for Euro2008. It may be the case that the FAI will turn to the man who won 68 caps for them between 1976-1994.

O'Leary has not worked since leaving Aston Villa just over a year ago.

His time at Leeds was amongst the most dramatic in the club's entire history. Succeeding George Graham in 1998, O'Leary soon won over the fans and neutrals with a swashbuckling style of attacking play as Leeds emerged as genuine silverware contenders at the turn of the millennium.

But off the field, there was tragedy and mayhem. The death of two Leeds supporters in Istanbul in 2000 overwhelmed the club in grief and the well-documented trial involving two key players in 2001 was a significant distraction.

A massive spending spree did not yield any silverware and although the Irishman was hugely popular with many of the fans, he left Elland Road in 2002 - amidst rumours that he had fallen out with then-chairman Peter Ridsdale and had "lost the dressing room" due to the publication of a book "Leeds United on trial" which gave a blow-by-blow account of the club's off-field turmoils.

Neither Leeds or O'Leary have recovered from that fateful divorce. An unproductive spell in charge of Aston Villa led to the sack and the Irishman was coy on Sky TV last weekend over reports linking him with the job at Bolton Wanderers. However, the Trotters appear to have Gary Megson on their radar after Graeme Souness turned them down.

O'Leary has always said he will return to Leeds one-day and complete "unfinished business". However, that seems increasingly unlikely now the club is in different ownership and at last heading in the right direction.

Most Leeds fans would wish him well if he does decide to have a go at managing his country. I seem to recall in his book he said it would be something he might do at a later stage of his career. However, he could see a stint of international coaching as an opportunity to step back into club management, as Lawrie  Sanchez, Walter Smith and Sven Goran Eriksson have all successfully done.

Photo: Action Images



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