Leeds United’s owner, Massimo Cellino, who has had six managers in under two years at the club, says he would like one to stay for 10 years but claims he is “losing his balls” and losing sleep trying to run the “nightmare” club.
“It’s bad firing a coach,” he said in an interview with The Times on Friday. “It’s very bad, the worst thing. You think I get peace from that? My dream is to have coach for 10 years. It could happen at Leeds.”
The former European Cup finalists and Champions League semi-finalists have not won at home since March, which is the worst run in the club’s history, and Cellino sacked the German manager Uwe Rösler last week after 12 matches in charge.
On Thursday Rosler’s replacement, Steve Evans, saw the team lose 2-0 at home to Blackburn Rovers, conceding two goals in the first six minutes. That left them seventh from bottom of the Championship with two wins from 14 games.
“I’m losing my balls,” Cellino continued. “Ten years ago, I had more balls but since I came here it’s been a nightmare. Now I have a low quality of life. I feel shame when I walk to the shop to buy cigarettes if we lose a game. I convinced my family to come here and they have run away.”
“It’s like being at a party where you’re not welcome. It’s killing me. Every night I like awake, asking myself: ‘Am I good enough?’”
Cellino, the former Cagliari owner, took over in 2014 after initially failing the Football League owners’ test following a court case in Italy.
He was banned again last December until the end of the season and has just appealed against a further disqualification after being found guilty of another tax offence.
“To save money I do 20 jobs. If they ban me and someone else comes in who does not fight for the club, it is dead.”
