Paul Heckingbottom is under huge pressure at Elland Road but could Championship giants Leeds United sack him and bring in Jaap Stam?
Leeds United hardly benefited from that so-called ‘new manager bounce’ when Paul Heckingbottom replaced Thomas Christiansen in the Elland Road dugout back in February.
The former Barnsley boss won just four of his 12 Championship games, Leeds finished in the bottom half, and an increasing number of the club’s fans are demanding a change already.
They have campaigned for the likes of Marco Silva or born-and-bred Yorkshireman Mick McCarthy to succeed Heckingbottom.
But, in the latest odds provided by Paddy Power, there is a new favourite to take over at Elland Road before the start of next season – Jaap Stam. The Dutchman is the 6/4 favourite, putting him ahead of veterans McCarthy and David O’Leary.
And the possibility of Stam rocking up in West Yorkshire is likely to elicit a strong reaction from supporters. Not only did the tough-talking Dutchman represent bitter rivals Manchester United during a stellar playing career, he also turned down the chance to become Leeds manager last summer after leading Reading to the play-off final, as reported by getreading.
After a stellar debut season at Reading, Stam’s burgeoning managerial reputation suffered a major hit when he was sacked in March following a run of one win in 18 games.
At the time of his exit, The Royals were just one point above the drop zone and they had to wait until the final day, under Paul Clement, to secure their Championship status.
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