countryboy
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News has just emerged that Leeds United have released manager David O'Leary from his job.
The shock move follows a series of unconfirmed rumours of differences between the Irishman and Elland Road chairman Peter Ridsdale. The club are reported to have attributed the move to "off-field pressures".
It's widely believed O'Leary and Ridsdale's relationship was strained by the heavily publicised court trials of Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate and, in particular, O'Leary's decision to release a book of memoirs on the whole affair.
Last season's failure to qualify for the Champions League has also led to Ridsdale demanding O'Leary sells players to rid the club of massive debts. Rio Ferdinand, now one of the world's best defenders, is a £35Million target of Manchester United but O'Leary was determined to keep the player in Yorkshire.
In a four-year spell at the club, O'Leary mounted a tangible challenge to Manchester United's supremacy as well as taking his young side to the semi-finals of both the UEFA Cup and the Champions League
The shock move follows a series of unconfirmed rumours of differences between the Irishman and Elland Road chairman Peter Ridsdale. The club are reported to have attributed the move to "off-field pressures".
It's widely believed O'Leary and Ridsdale's relationship was strained by the heavily publicised court trials of Lee Bowyer and Jonathan Woodgate and, in particular, O'Leary's decision to release a book of memoirs on the whole affair.
Last season's failure to qualify for the Champions League has also led to Ridsdale demanding O'Leary sells players to rid the club of massive debts. Rio Ferdinand, now one of the world's best defenders, is a £35Million target of Manchester United but O'Leary was determined to keep the player in Yorkshire.
In a four-year spell at the club, O'Leary mounted a tangible challenge to Manchester United's supremacy as well as taking his young side to the semi-finals of both the UEFA Cup and the Champions League