The new Leeds boss is still looking for his first win since switching from Barnsley.
Gary Rowett manager of Derby County
Leeds United take on Derby County in the Championship this evening and new manager Paul Heckingbottom is still searching for a first win as Leeds United boss. Defeat in his first game against Sheffield United was followed by a 2-2 draw against Bristol City, although the way the team came back from 2-0 down will have encouraged the new boss.
Derby meanwhile are pushing for the top two after a good run of form and will be hoping to get the better of Leeds in this big clash of two rivals.
Heckingbottom’s decision to join Leeds, not long after signing an extension to his deal at former club and fellow Yorkshire side Barnsley, certainly courted some controversy.
Paul Heckingbottom
But his opposite number tonight, Derby boss Gary Rowett, has told the club’s press conference this week he fully understands why Heckingbottom would have made that decision:
“I know there’s a little bit of controversy around him joining Leeds so soon after signing a new contract but sometimes you have to make that decision, based on your career, I understand that.”
He went on to discuss the difficulty he might have at Elland Road. He compared his situation to the one he had at Derby when he took over. Plenty of manager turnover and players perhaps not suited to his style of play could make it difficult for Heckingbottom to get the best out of Leeds for the rest of the season:
“He’s joined a terrific club in Leeds and I think he will do a terrific job. But it’s that initial stage and it’s very difficult. It’s a bit similar to ourselves. They’ve had a lot of different managers, a lot of different players. You want to play a certain way, sometimes that takes five or six players out of the equation and you then have to prepare for that scenario.”
Gary Rowett manager of Derby County
Leeds know that they need to start winning games very soon if they are to have any chance of making the play-offs this season.
Sacking Christiansen and bringing in the new boss was certainly a risk and, at the moment, it does not look like it will have the desired impact regarding promotion this season.
But a win tonight v Derby would be a huge boost to those chances and get the monkey off of Heckingbottom’s back at Elland Road.
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