Cellino's Gamble

Article by e-Leeds United Correspondent Gwyn Hughes

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With news of the sale of Leeds United's top marksman and talisman Ross McCormack to Fulham yesterday, it represents a huge gamble taken on by new owner Massimo Cellino. What seemed unthinkable to Leeds fans a few months ago has now become a sobering reality.

McCormack undoubtedly saved Leeds from relegation to League One single handed last season scoring 28 league goals in total. It is ironic to think that if the likes of Ken Bates was still in charge last summer, the striker would have been sold and Leeds would surely have ended back where they don't belong. As it stands, Leeds have to face the new season without the one player that could help them at least stay in The Championship. It was hoped by many that the highly rated Scot would stay with Leeds and Cellino would build a team around him. But it was not to be. Cellino now has the task of finding a top striker that can do what McCormack did for us last season.

The last thing we want is for our club to go into next season, which is only a few weeks away, without a proven goal scorer. I hope Cellino has thought ahead and has someone in mind now that McCormack has gone.

On the other hand, we have to applaud Cellino for an excellent bit of business. 11 million pounds for a Championship player is quite astonishing, and some have scoffed at Fulham's valuation. Personally, I see that as an offer that Cellino could not refuse but it helps when a club like Fulham have the financial clout of a very wealthy owner. Trust me, Fulham will not care how much they had to stump up despite the derisive comments on social media. It kind of makes up for the amount of talent from Leeds who in past seasons have been allowed to have gone very cheaply. It's about time we made a profit on a player. Their acquisition of McCormack also should give the rest of The Championship promotion hopefuls a warning to how much they are prepared to pay for quality signings to ensure a return to the Premiership.

We have a tough season ahead of us and unless Cellino gets in some miraculous signings I see a season of promise ahead but would not be surprised if we fall short. Any improvement on last season will be welcome. I just hope to see Leeds playing exciting football again, and being able to compete on and off the pitch. Success can only come from such a season.

So Cellino now has to plot safety for Leeds and his acquisitions will have to perform if Leeds are to stay in the division. It's clear from recent reports from Elland Road that he is not one to splash the cash, wanting to adopt a frugal policy at the club, including such directives as advising the playing staff to bring their own sandwiches to work. I hate to think where they are staying at the moment in Italy! These measures sound alien to what we expect football players to endure but Cellino is an extremely practical man, and does not want to pump in his own money and then see it wash away through bad financial management practices. He has clearly identified where the club was going wrong. He became wealthy by doing the complete opposite to what previous Leeds owners were trying to do.

So, we have no choice but to see who Cellino gets in, and I hope he does use the 11 million in some way to get a top striker in because we will need a replacement. I'm also glad that he has recognised the need to get other players that can contribute goals rather than relying on one man. If we had such players last season then we would have had a fighting chance of getting near the play off places, or even automatic promotion. We always seem to be missing important personnel in our squads that could have made a considerable contribution to how we finish the seasons. Brian McDermott thought he had those players but was badly let down by them. I hope that those days are over and that we can go and find the players we need to give the club a chance to become good, and eventually great again.

With Cellino now able to recruit more players, I and I'm sure all the fans are eager to find out who will be playing for Leeds United next season. So, farewell Ross McCormack. No offence but hope you don't do so well with Fulham, but we all understand how football business works. Let's see if we can find a new hero that will take Leeds to his heart and adorn the football fields of England (and Cardiff) with his dazzling displays.

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