Massimo Cellino, the Leeds United owner, took his capacity for farce to new lows yesterday when he sacked a manager, appointed another one and then found that he had been banned by the Football League.
Steve Evans, the former Rotherham United manager, became the sixth of Cellino’s 18-month reign when Uwe Rösler departed after 12 games in charge. It was officially announced minutes after the Football League suspended Cellino because of a £30,000 fine for unpaid VAT on the importation of a Land Rover.
This is the second time that he has failed the League’s owners and directors’ test. His previous suspension ended in May. Evans himself received a suspended one-year jail sentence in 2006 for disguising wages and bonuses as expenses over a five-year period during his time at Boston United.
Cellino seems sure to appeal against his suspension, which relates to a conviction in June and will be deemed “spent” a year from that date. The waters could become muddier still next month, when a decision is due on whether Cellino will face trial over alleged embezzlement relating to the rebuilding of a stadium during his time as Cagliari president. There are two other cases pending, too. He failed the owners and directors’ test last year because of unpaid duty on a yacht.
He went through 36 managers in 22 years in Italy and is on his seventh in Yorkshire, if you count Brian McDermott twice; he was sacked last year and quickly reinstated when Cellino realised that he did not have the authority to dismiss managers until his takeover was complete.
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Evans’s appointment seems unlikely to be trouble-free. Last year he told the Yorkshire Evening Post that he could not work for an owner who interfered in team matters. “If you take the job under Massimo, you know the rules; he picks the players, you coach the players.”
He said yesterday: “I’m very humbled — a boy from a council estate near Glasgow is Leeds manager. All I can ask of the Leeds supporters — and there are millions worldwide — is give me the opportunity to win some matches. I know the consequences if I don’t.”
It is 11 years since Leeds were relegated from the Premier League and the club is in the midst of its worst ever home run. Cellino explained his decision to sack Rösler in typically colourful language. “I wanted them to play heavy rock football, but instead it was like country music,” he said. “I could not see even a patch of blue in the sky, just cloud, cloud, cloud.”
Leeds fans are used to such eccentric asides. Cellino has already banned the colour purple from Elland Road and began his reign with an unguarded diatribe about the team’s worth when a fan rang him. The fan recorded the phone call. Sample quote: “Eighteen million on wages for a s*** team like that.”
However, patience is wearing thin with Cellino’s impatience. After McDermott departed, Dave Hockaday was brought in on the back of four years in the Conference. He lasted two months. Darko Milanic managed six games. Neil Redfearn fared better, but Cellino had wanted to keep him on his academy coach’s salary and finally dismissed him as a “baby”.
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Cellino said Evans would “make this team fight” and that he did not trust Rösler any more. However, Cellino could be in further trouble as he was given notice of the Football League ban on October 14 and sacked Rösler after that date. He has also said that Leeds will refuse to sell more than the minimum requirement of 2,000 tickets for away games. He said that is due to the club losing money over televised games and a lack of support from the Football League. Leeds’s large travelling support has been left unimpressed.
When days are numbered
Brian McDermott
Stay April 2013-May 2014
Record 55 games, 21 wins, nine draws, 25 defeats
In charge before Massimo Cellino took over
Cellino’s parting shot: “I will not pilot the plane with someone who, when I push, they push the brake.”
Dave Hockaday
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Stay June-Aug 2014, 70 days
Record Six games, two wins, zero draws, four defeats
Cellino’s parting shot: “He’s like a baby who is in a toy shop.”
Darko Milanic
Stay Sept-Oct 2014, 32 days
Record Six games, zero wins, three draws, three defeats
Cellino’s parting shot: “Coaches are like watermelons. You find out about them when you open them up.”
Neil Redfearn
Stay Nov 2014-May 2015, 205 days
Record 33 games, 11 wins, seven draws, 15 defeats
Cellino’s parting shot: “He is not a bad guy but has a weak personality.”
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Uwe Rösler
Stay May-Oct 2015, 152 days
Record 12 games, two wins, five draws, five defeats
Cellino’s parting shot: “I wanted heavy rock football but instead it was like country music.”