Hart meets Leeds but pressure grows for big-name recruit
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Your support makes all the difference.Leeds United had talks with Paul Hart in their search for a new manager last night, but the crisis-hit club are split over the appointment.
The Nottingham Forest manager has emerged as the first-choice candidate to replace Peter Reid. However, his return to the club where he served as a successful youth coach is not certain because Leeds are still undecided about who to appoint and the length of the appointment.
Leeds are still debating the idea of a manager coming in for the rest of the season as they are worried about the idea of being relegated and stuck with yet another manager they do not want. The club's plc chairman, Allan Leighton, is keen on a short-term appointment and had considered a call to George Graham, but Hart is a more likely possibility.
Even if Hart were to accept the challenge, there are other voices at Leeds who want to look for a bigger name, with Southampton's Gordon Strachan having his supporters.
The caretaker coach, Eddie Gray, who said he would like the job permanently, may be in charge for some time although the club should be able to put their house in order before playing Bolton a week on Saturday.
It emerged yesterday that Mark Viduka's final row with Reid was over the time he was taking to get ready for training on the manager's final Friday. The striker clashed with Reid because he was not ready for their brief session before the squad left for Portsmouth.
Reid was going out with the players at 10.30am when he found Viduka tying up his strappings and behind the rest of the group. He asked the Australian to "hurry up and come out" and was met with a short, four-letter answer. Reid returned the comment and went into a rage, telling the striker he would not be travelling with the team to Pompey.
Gray said one of his first moves as caretaker will be to get Viduka back. "He's a major player in our squad, a great goalscorer," he said. "His problems here have been well documented in the last few weeks, so I will have a chat to Mark. But I'm fully expecting him to be lining up against Bolton."
Among other candidates to replace Reid, Plymouth's Paul Sturrock has played down reports linking him with the job, as well as the vacant post at Crystal Palace. "It's pure media speculation," he said. "I've got a lot of work to get on with."
Palace have also put Hearts' Craig Levein on their shortlist.
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