While Tony Pulis has taken Middlesbrough into the Championship play-offs, Leeds United are falling apart under Paul Heckingbottom.
Paul Heckingbottom has only been in the Leeds United hotseat for eight games. However, if some fans got their wish, the 40-year-old’s managerial tenure at Elland Road would be about as short as those of Dave Hockaday or Darko Milanic.
Leeds hired Heckingbottom to rescue a season that appeared to be crumbling under Thomas Christiansen in February, but since he swapped Barnsley for their Yorkshire rivals, Leeds’ campaign has gone from bad to worse.
They have won just one of his eight games in charge and their ambitions have suddenly gone from a play-off place to a top half finish.
But it is not just the results but a lack of style, a lack of identity or even simple desire and will to win that has fans worried about the future. Those supporters would surely not have the same concerns if they had taken the chance to appoint Tony Pulis three months ago.
After all, Middlesbrough were mid-table and heading nowhere fast when they took the decision to sack Garry Monk and replace him with the veteran Welshman at Christmas.
But Boro have won eight of their 14 Championship games since Pulis’ arrival and have now climbed into the play-off positions. They are sixth, eight places and 12 points ahead of Leeds.
So it is understandable that some fans have come to the conclusion that Leeds missed a real opportunity when they failed to sack Christiansen and bring Pulis to Elland Road during the festive period when there was still ample time to save the season.
Pulis might be a divisive manager but he is renowned for getting the best out of the talent at his disposal and building a hard-working team in his own old-school image.
Many Leeds fans do not care about flowing football right now. They want points on the board and passion on the pitch and Pulis could have been the man to provide exactly that.
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