Uwe Rösler has signed a two-year deal to become Leeds United’s fifth manager in just over 12 months, and has promised to introduce some German heavy metal football to Elland Road.
“The style I favour is very much influenced by German football,” the former Wigan Athletic and Brentford manager said. “Focus on the transition, get very quickly into attack and into defence, a quick passing game with lots of attempts on goal. I don’t want to play long balls, I want to play a quick, powerful game, what Jürgen Klopp calls heavy metal.”
According to Adam Pearson, the club’s new executive director, the Italian owner, Massimo Cellino, needed only one meeting with Rösler to convince him to offer the 46-year-old a contract as head coach. “There were hundreds of candidates but the president was able to make a quick and definite decision,” he said.
Rösler said: “We talked a lot about tactics. Mr Cellino made it clear to me that he wants to move the club forward by putting the next building block in place. The aim is to take this club back into the Premier League, but from where we are now that is unlikely to happen next season. You have to strike the right balance between ambition and realistic expectation. My target for next season is to get more points on the board and finish in the top 10. That would represent progress, and from there you could continue to build for the future. If we are in the top half this time next year, I would call that a successful season.”
Rösler is aware that his predecessor, Neil Redfearn, is still popular with the Leeds supporters, and he will face an initial fight to win over his new public. Redfearn’s fate was as good as sealed in an interview with Cellino in a Sunday newspaper last week, when the owner described him as weak. His contract will not be renewed, although he has been offered a position with the Leeds academy.
Rösler said: “I understand how the fans feel, but when I started at Brentford I had to win the fans over too, because I was from overseas and I only had a reputation as a player. I think I succeeded, because I left the club in a far better position than it was in when I started. I am also proud of what I did at Wigan; we finished fifth in the first season and went all the way to extra time and penalties in the FA Cup semi-final.
“The following season it was clear some rebuilding had to be done. I thought I would get time to sort it out, and I was disappointed to be removed in November. But I still have a good relationship with Dave Whelan, he is an honest man, so there are no regrets. I moved on and the club moved on.”
Cellino has indicated that his next manager ought to be an angry one, so does Rösler fit that billing? “That might be a bit harsh,” he said. “At the moment I am a very happy man. I received several offers from several clubs, but as soon as this one came up I knew what I wanted. It was a no brainer. You can’t get bigger than this.”
You might get longer, though. Rösler described himself as an optimist and a glass-half-full person in response to questions about the brevity of several of his predecessors’ time in charge, but even as the unveiling was coming to a close and the cameras and recorders were being put away, a club official introduced a slightly ominous note in waving everyone off for a summer break. “Thank you for attending this press conference,” he said.
“I’m sorry if they are becoming a bit repetitive.”
