Marching On Together

Corriere della Sera sat down for a detailed interview with the Leeds owner, where he was specifically asked about the Premier League side.

“I want to operate as a private equity in sport. Yes, perhaps Leeds can grow further, but in the future, they will need more resources to be able to reach higher levels and compete with the best clubs in the Premier League, as a result I believe that, due to the history of the club and the respect I have for the fans, it is right to let those who can invest more than me go forward, and bring them to the glory of the past. There is also a design aspect: this is my sixth year, change is healthy,” he said.


More than you think. We made an offer for Salernitana, but we never received a response. However, I’m happy for the fans, now they have a very good owner, Danilo Iervolino: a serious entrepreneur who is doing well with excellent results,” Radrizzani explained.

“Now let’s look around. We are considering investment opportunities in some Italian teams with the 49ers and other important partners. As partners in Leeds with the 49ers we have reached the end of the cycle and have shown that we know how to create value. Now a new phase is opening with new targets, accompanied by the interest of family businesses and private equity who want to invest with us

Interesting bit of this for me is first of all "to compete with the best clubs in the Premier League"

You need far more money than the Venture Capital fund of the 49ers.

So either there are other partners with the 49ers? Like Chelsea have.

Or there are other outside investors?

Or of course Radz is talking crap.

Also Orta spoke

"You have to establish yourself first,” said Orta, speaking to Spanish publication Diario AS and asked what would be a good season for Leeds and how he saw the project five years from now.

"Anything between 10th and 13th, 10th and 14th is a very good season. Getting three consecutive years in the Premier after 17 years out of it, stabilising the structure, the ideas and perhaps, little by little, moving on to more ambitious projects.

"It is very difficult and very competitive, even outside the top-six there are rivals like Newcastle and Aston Villa that seem like a step above. Personally, I have the dream of returning this team to its place, which is to play in European competition because it has already done so, because it has done so successfully. It's not easy, but the fans demand it, I don't know if through a cup classification, hopefully through a league classification. But I think that immobility in football is one of the worst defects."

To be fair, Orta is basically correct in everything he says .... We're probably two to five years behind Villa in terms of EPL foundation. Of course a multi billionaire owner would change that narrative but I get the feeling there's not enough interested Billionaires willing to throw millions at a club for all the Premiership to have one.... and it would probably mean the end of the prem if there were

Radzs it's fishing around for someone who has money to try and get some investment. Radzs the 49ers have taken Leeds as far as he could. There is never going to be real investment in this team ie the millions yes millions hundreds of millions needed to make us into a top 6 he just doesn't have that kind of resources nor will he have. Inn6 years all he has managed to do is buy a couple of decent players at good prices and sell them on for a good profit but that profit hasn't really gone back much into investing in the squad we're still buying unknow quality and hoping to find a formula for success. Unfortunately realistically I think this season will up in his face because we are seriously looking like a bottomn3 side and should we be relegated then there won't be much hope for us getting the financial clout needed to make us a top 6. Radzs has had 6 years now in charge and we haven't really got any better had we kept Phillips and raphinha in the summer and added those players we have bought I don't think we would be where we are we would probably be better off by about 10 to 12 points. And certainly not looking with any threat at relegation but this year I honestly beleive we have reach the max and nothing further going forward. We really do not have money to improve the squad and the 49ers aren't going to put any money into the pot. So where is the money going to come in January to keep us up. This is like a blow to the soul I love this team and I want us to be either a mid table team at least surviving without struggling or that top 6 team we all dream about unfortunately I don't see either.

A bit of a cryptic message from Radrizzani.

Is he inferring that just he or he and the 49ers are looking to sell their interest in Leeds United and find a team in a less financially competitive league to invest in?

Have they come to the conclusion that even their combined finances are not going to be enough to really compete in this league?

I glean from what Orta has said that 3 years in this league will be the pinnacle of expectation under the current regime and that even just achieving a Europa Cup place is only a dream rather than a possibility.

Radrizzani’s previous bullish talk of competing at the top end of the table when we got back to the Premier League has melted away somewhat and reality seems to have dawned.

Byebyegeegee wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 3:38 pm A bit of a cryptic message from Radrizzani.

Is he inferring that just he or he and the 49ers are looking to sell their interest in Leeds United and find a team in a less financially competitive league to invest in?

Have they come to the conclusion that even their combined finances are not going to be enough to really compete in this league?

I glean from what Orta has said that 3 years in this league will be the pinnacle of expectation under the current regime and that even just achieving a Europa Cup place is only a dream rather than a possibility.

Radrizzani’s previous bullish talk of competing at the top end of the table when we got back to the Premier League has melted away somewhat and reality seems to have dawned.

I think that's almost certainly the case.... it bothers me not though if we can't afford to compete. Much happier to keep our integrity

Happy for the progress the success they have brought to Leeds and Radz is honest enough that his ability is now limited.
It is no secret that he will sell and fair play, everyone got what they wanted. 5 years from Tuesday nights away at bloody Preston to playing at home in front of a capacity crowd in front of a TV audience playing the best team in the land.


He has done well in turning an ordinary Championship club going nowhere to now least aiming in the right direction. And he will walk away with a nice warchest for his next project.

faaip wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 4:18 pm I think that's almost certainly the case.... it bothers me not though if we can't afford to compete. Much happier to keep our integrity

I see the value of keeping one’s integrity faaip but a big part of me also thinks it would be great to be able to be seriously competitive again, as we have been in the past. Can we not do both?

Irish Ian wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 4:28 pm Happy for the progress the success they have brought to Leeds and Radz is honest enough that his ability is now limited.
It is no secret that he will sell and fair play, everyone got what they wanted. 5 years from Tuesday nights away at bloody Preston to playing at home in front of a capacity crowd in front of a TV audience playing the best team in the land.


He has done well in turning an ordinary Championship club going nowhere to now least aiming in the right direction. And he will walk away with a nice warchest for his next project.

Probably true to say we were, for a while, an ordinary Championship team but, with our history of achievement and level of support over at least the last 60 years, we were always a lot better than an ordinary Championship Club.

Byebyegeegee wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 4:33 pm I see the value of keeping one’s integrity faaip but a big part of me also thinks it would be great to be able to be seriously competitive again, as we have been in the past. Can we not do both?

Not yet, we'd need a benevolent billionaire to achieve both. There's not many of those around.

Irish Ian wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 4:28 pm Happy for the progress the success they have brought to Leeds and Radz is honest enough that his ability is now limited.
It is no secret that he will sell and fair play, everyone got what they wanted. 5 years from Tuesday nights away at bloody Preston to playing at home in front of a capacity crowd in front of a TV audience playing the best team in the land.


He has done well in turning an ordinary Championship club going nowhere to now least aiming in the right direction. And he will walk away with a nice warchest for his next project.

And we were going nowhere, no Rads and we're still probably sitting 12th in the championship with this forum having half an eye on Lg 1 and talk of relegation. We'd have none of those memories of the Bielsa years, of becoming the only team to win at Anfield in forever and other great wins, players like Raphinha, etc.

I'm not convinced by Marsch yet, he's partly there just needs to let go of the football stifling tactics and gamble a bit more. But the optimist in me hopes he can learn on the job...

I think I pointed out elsewhere, since the premiership began our avrage finishing position has been toward the top of the championship... so last 30 years on average we're not a top level team, the post Revie years on average we were not a top level team ... We've really only been a top level team consistently under the Don....

We also owe the massive fan base to his time too ... It has been reported that Leeds RL team had better local support (no clue if that's still the case). The Revie way, the Leeds ideology, bought a massive influx of non Leeds based supporters to the club making us a truly international football team.

Anonymous wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 5:42 pm So would I, but it's virtually impossible when you're playing in a league that is so corrupted by money it's barely even a sport anymore.

Agree re the EPL being corrupted by money, I've said multiple times it's a league split in two by money and we'll be second tier for a while. I'm a purist of most things, not really interested in sports teams that "win" because they have more money. I have no respect for Man City as a football team....

Cjay wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 1:33 pm Also Orta spoke

"You have to establish yourself first,” said Orta, speaking to Spanish publication Diario AS and asked what would be a good season for Leeds and how he saw the project five years from now.

"Anything between 10th and 13th, 10th and 14th is a very good season. Getting three consecutive years in the Premier after 17 years out of it, stabilising the structure, the ideas and perhaps, little by little, moving on to more ambitious projects.

"It is very difficult and very competitive, even outside the top-six there are rivals like Newcastle and Aston Villa that seem like a step above. Personally, I have the dream of returning this team to its place, which is to play in European competition because it has already done so, because it has done so successfully. It's not easy, but the fans demand it, I don't know if through a cup classification, hopefully through a league classification. But I think that immobility in football is one of the worst defects."

Do you think the financial fair play rules make much of a difference when teams have endless resources. They all have to comply but the rules are all about profit and loss and money can be invested in a team and offset against a whole list of deductables. Derby County springs to mind. The only way we are going to have a level playing field is that the breaking the rules has to be points deducted and immediate. In this way it will not matter how much money a club has.....what do you think?

FFP isn't working, a salary cap would work better... not perfect just better.

Musicman1965 wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 6:30 pm Do you think the financial fair play rules make much of a difference when teams have endless resources. They all have to comply but the rules are all about profit and loss and money can be invested in a team and offset against a whole list of deductables. Derby County springs to mind. The only way we are going to have a level playing field is that the breaking the rules has to be points deducted and immediate. In this way it will not matter how much money a club has.....what do you think?

FFP at the top level us a complete myth and if owners are willing to ignore it then you can.

Not just the Man Cities or PSG.

West Ham were on the Uefa watch list for FFP and spent well over £100mil in the summer.

It's an excuse for owners who don't want to invest and an irrelevance to those that do.

Cjay wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 1:25 pm Corriere della Sera sat down for a detailed interview with the Leeds owner, where he was specifically asked about the Premier League side.

“I want to operate as a private equity in sport. Yes, perhaps Leeds can grow further, but in the future, they will need more resources to be able to reach higher levels and compete with the best clubs in the Premier League, as a result I believe that, due to the history of the club and the respect I have for the fans, it is right to let those who can invest more than me go forward, and bring them to the glory of the past. There is also a design aspect: this is my sixth year, change is healthy,” he said.


More than you think. We made an offer for Salernitana, but we never received a response. However, I’m happy for the fans, now they have a very good owner, Danilo Iervolino: a serious entrepreneur who is doing well with excellent results,” Radrizzani explained.

“Now let’s look around. We are considering investment opportunities in some Italian teams with the 49ers and other important partners. As partners in Leeds with the 49ers we have reached the end of the cycle and have shown that we know how to create value. Now a new phase is opening with new targets, accompanied by the interest of family businesses and private equity who want to invest with us

I'm a little confused by all of this. You always have great research and insight on these matters.

The names mentioned are completely new to me

Is he saying the 49ers partnership is coming to an end? Is he looking for a new buyer? Is he looking for others to put in more money and dilute his own share?

Byebyegeegee wrote: ↑Tue Dec 27, 2022 3:38 pm I glean from what Orta has said that 3 years in this league will be the pinnacle of expectation under the current regime and that even just achieving a Europa Cup place is only a dream rather than a possibility.

We can't even compete or progress in the domestic cups, let alone dream about Europe.

Its been said a million times now. Why are we still scraping the barrel on finance. We should be on every Billionaires shopping list. It baffles me it really does. Leeds shouldn't need to ask anyone for their hospitality.