Tuesday, 29th April, 2014
Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino has dubbed boss Brian McDermott "a nice man" and insists he is committed to working with the former Reading manager.
Cellino's lawyer attempted to sack McDermott on transfer deadline day in January, despite his takeover of the club not being complete at the time; the decision was subsequently reversed by GFH Capital, who were still owners at the time.
Cellino has since completed his protracted purchase of 75 per cent of the club and now claims he is looking to work with McDermott, feeling the conditions the boss was forced to work under by the previous regime was "all wrong".
"They should have said to him that there is no money because he is not a magician", the Italian businessman told the BBC.
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"It was all wrong the way that he came here. They were not straight with him.
"They forced him to be somebody that he wasn't and that he never wanted to become.
"I have to treat him with respect because he is a nice man and a good coach and has tried to do the job.
"We have to talk but we have much bigger problems than his future."
Cellino has vowed to work to have Leeds promoted within the next two years, while he is also setting about installing former Aston Villa and Sheffield Wednesday midfielder Benito Carbone to run the club's academy.
Leeds have also begun to look at transfer targets, with Cagliari duo Victor Ibarbo and Danilo Avelar on the radar.
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