While most of the fanbase is becoming disillusioned about our prospects for 2016/7, Il Presidente is still talking up our chances for the season to come.
Cellino told the Mirror today. "I have a good feeling. I cannot make a mistake this time! My players need someone special. After all the things the fans have said about me, now they will start to understand. Next year, we'll play football. For the first time in England I have a lot of good managers willing to come to us at Leeds United."
The last claim looks especially dubious after we were turned down by Karl Robinson, but it’s reported we’re still talking to Bristol Rovers about their manager Darrell Clarke. Rovers turned down our first approach and wanted a compensation package of at least £250,000, but it looks like we’ve gone back with a better offer.
Rovers want us to make up our mind over Clarke by the start of next week, and we would need to agree personal terms with the man himself before Clarke heads out to Las Vegas on his stag do! The latter trip could well prove to more of a pleasure than talking to Massimo Cellino.
But while Cellino was bigging up our chances for the new season, a couple of wiser heads were pointing out we’ve got a lot to do before we can mount a promotion challenge. Neil Warnock told TalkSort that Darrell Clarke would be mad to give up a steady job to work for the Italian.
"I am not sure I would recommend him going to Leeds as the next stage of his career, if I am honest. I think, the turmoil at the moment with the fans, it would be very, very difficult for a young manager to go in there and not just turn the team around, but get everybody on side.”
And Steve Evans says that when he last spoke to Cellino he pointed out that getting promoted will be a lot harder next season, after the relegation of a couple of big clubs from the Premier League. "The task is huge next season. The Championship is stronger than the one about to conclude at Wembley on Saturday.”
"In my opinion for the team to be successful next season the squad needs significantly strengthened in many key departments - this alongside ensuring our brightest young talents are secured for some time. Anyone not thinking that does not understand the challenge ahead. I presented these views to Mr Cellino just prior to the end of the season.”
Evans was referring to a lengthy meeting he had with Cellino on April 29, but has had virtually no contact with him since. Evans has said "I'm confident I would lead us to promotion”, but now needs Cellino to confirm that he won’t be Leeds United head coach next season, so he can look for work elsewhere.
"I'm happy to step aside if the new prospective coach is one of the best around. The supporters of Leeds United, the best there are anywhere, deserve that. Out of respect for this great football club’s history, and to the Leeds United supporters, I’ll take that decision with good grace. This is a special club. It should have standards of excellence in everything it does.”
If I was in Evans’ position I would already have accepted any job offer that had come from elsewhere. And as for Cellino’s boasts about a promotion challenge, we’d all love it if next season turned out like that, but we’ve heard it all before, and I’ll be amazed if it actually happens.