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We catch up with Leeds legend Tim Davey after a ground breathtakingly successful season............
First of all congratulations on last seasons success. What has been the key for the upturn in form and the key to last season's success?
Thanks. Well I can tell you what we did going into this season but I am not entirely sure I can give you a complete answer other than things just seemed to click for some reason. We decided to look at the balance of the squad and address the areas we felt needed to be looked at. We felt the defender's shooting was not consistent, we have never felt that high shooting or low shooting were particularly beneficial either way but we were neither here nor there. So we decided for consistency and more easily available to recruit higher shooting defenders. We managed to up our seconds across the board especially with the defenders passing and the midfielders shooting. This gave us a great boost and opened up more varied ways to play, making our P E and A very strong. With this we have been able to really take the game to our opponents this season and it probably saw us as the most attacking team in the prem. Not just because we won it even shows in the goals scored column where we also finished top. It meant at times we came unstuck and were countered but it did work very well overall.. We faced C after C and mostly managed to break them down and dominate.
I think a factor that cannot be overlooked is RNG / Luck / rub of the green. Over the last two seasons prior to this one we have often dominated games and got beaten, hence our poor finishes. For whatever reason that has happened less this season. I'd like to think because of the changes we made but who knows.
What were your expectations going into the season?
Well I never shied away from saying I wanted us to compete and that we had under achieved the last two seasons. I said I wanted to be in the conversation and I wanted to win a trophy, regardless of what it was. In the ned the Prem title is a massive achievement and a reminder of the first time I managed it with Leeds in my first spell, claiming the title directly after promotion from the Championship. It has helped really restore my passion for the game.
I felt we could have won the DPT as we clearly were good enough for the CL but under performed and didn't earn the right to be in it. The DPT is the only time where fortune conspired against us and we were knocked out by West Ham after absolutely battering them. A disappointing way to go out after topping a very difficult group. A double would have been great, perhaps not as good as my league / CL double with Real Madrid but possibly a bigger achievement given the difference in stature between the two clubs and the expectations but it was not meant to be. I am absolutely delighted with our season and also very proud.
What are next season's expectations?
The expectations of fans will be high and pressure from the rest of the game will be high too after what we have achieved this season. I aim to be kind to myself and ask the supporters to stay with me. We hope that we can repeat or indeed do better. We have a new challenge in the CL, the minimum expectation there has to be qualifying from the group. I hope that's realistic, it won't be easy and will largely depend on the draw I guess. The minimum expectation in the league has to be top four. We cannot expect another near perfect season and to have lady luck with us and so as I say need to be kind to myself and not be too hard on myself if things don't go how we want them too. Look at Real Madrid this season, Manchester United, Roma, Man City............ all will have been disappointed but possibly all had lot's of misfortune. If it can happen to them it can happen to us,. so my main aim is to just enjoy the game.
All of that said, I want to do far better than the above, I want to do the double.
Realistically Tim, is your squad in a position to compete at those levels?
It has improved, it is improving but if you look at the big heads we still have a way to go to match their numbers. It might actually be impossible to even get there given the power vacuum and the funds at the big sides disposal along with their already strong squads and in most cases very young squads who will only get better and better. However i feel I have plenty of tactical nouse, a good feel for the numbers and hopefully more passion. Along with my many years experience I hope that is a leveller. But we shall see.
Where do you go with the squad now?
Well Wilf and Enzo are on their way out for decent transfer fees. This is my decision, the players did not want to leave and both have been fantastic but we feel we need to continue to progress. We wanted to bring in a striker who was more rounded, younger and a bit more versatile so we have Victor Osimhen coming in from Bayern. He is someone we have chased for a while and we have finally got our man. There is a very good amount of funds left over and hopefully we will get very good prize money etc to add to it. This will be spent in one way or another on replacing Enzo but in what guise and which type of market, we are not sure yet. Man City can have anyone they want in the auction so we have to keep that in mind when planning.
Ultimately Cuadrado and Jordi Alba need replacing but that may be a job for the next season or two but we will keep an open mind and see where the window takes us. I think it's important not to be inflexible and act in accordance of the market.
And lastly you found success with Porto. That was certainly unexpected, how are you feeling about that?
Very proud indeed. I don't m,ind saying I did a fantastic job with them. There is no way that squad should have been anywhere near that title, so to tough it out and finish top of the league is quite some achievement. Numbers wise I think we should have been looking at 8th or 9th, so to win it shows huge courage and bravery and it has to be said, I never expected this success. Two titles in one season, not too shabby.
Thanks Tim and good luck for next season.
First of all congratulations on last seasons success. What has been the key for the upturn in form and the key to last season's success?
Thanks. Well I can tell you what we did going into this season but I am not entirely sure I can give you a complete answer other than things just seemed to click for some reason. We decided to look at the balance of the squad and address the areas we felt needed to be looked at. We felt the defender's shooting was not consistent, we have never felt that high shooting or low shooting were particularly beneficial either way but we were neither here nor there. So we decided for consistency and more easily available to recruit higher shooting defenders. We managed to up our seconds across the board especially with the defenders passing and the midfielders shooting. This gave us a great boost and opened up more varied ways to play, making our P E and A very strong. With this we have been able to really take the game to our opponents this season and it probably saw us as the most attacking team in the prem. Not just because we won it even shows in the goals scored column where we also finished top. It meant at times we came unstuck and were countered but it did work very well overall.. We faced C after C and mostly managed to break them down and dominate.
I think a factor that cannot be overlooked is RNG / Luck / rub of the green. Over the last two seasons prior to this one we have often dominated games and got beaten, hence our poor finishes. For whatever reason that has happened less this season. I'd like to think because of the changes we made but who knows.
What were your expectations going into the season?
Well I never shied away from saying I wanted us to compete and that we had under achieved the last two seasons. I said I wanted to be in the conversation and I wanted to win a trophy, regardless of what it was. In the ned the Prem title is a massive achievement and a reminder of the first time I managed it with Leeds in my first spell, claiming the title directly after promotion from the Championship. It has helped really restore my passion for the game.
I felt we could have won the DPT as we clearly were good enough for the CL but under performed and didn't earn the right to be in it. The DPT is the only time where fortune conspired against us and we were knocked out by West Ham after absolutely battering them. A disappointing way to go out after topping a very difficult group. A double would have been great, perhaps not as good as my league / CL double with Real Madrid but possibly a bigger achievement given the difference in stature between the two clubs and the expectations but it was not meant to be. I am absolutely delighted with our season and also very proud.
What are next season's expectations?
The expectations of fans will be high and pressure from the rest of the game will be high too after what we have achieved this season. I aim to be kind to myself and ask the supporters to stay with me. We hope that we can repeat or indeed do better. We have a new challenge in the CL, the minimum expectation there has to be qualifying from the group. I hope that's realistic, it won't be easy and will largely depend on the draw I guess. The minimum expectation in the league has to be top four. We cannot expect another near perfect season and to have lady luck with us and so as I say need to be kind to myself and not be too hard on myself if things don't go how we want them too. Look at Real Madrid this season, Manchester United, Roma, Man City............ all will have been disappointed but possibly all had lot's of misfortune. If it can happen to them it can happen to us,. so my main aim is to just enjoy the game.
All of that said, I want to do far better than the above, I want to do the double.
Realistically Tim, is your squad in a position to compete at those levels?
It has improved, it is improving but if you look at the big heads we still have a way to go to match their numbers. It might actually be impossible to even get there given the power vacuum and the funds at the big sides disposal along with their already strong squads and in most cases very young squads who will only get better and better. However i feel I have plenty of tactical nouse, a good feel for the numbers and hopefully more passion. Along with my many years experience I hope that is a leveller. But we shall see.
Where do you go with the squad now?
Well Wilf and Enzo are on their way out for decent transfer fees. This is my decision, the players did not want to leave and both have been fantastic but we feel we need to continue to progress. We wanted to bring in a striker who was more rounded, younger and a bit more versatile so we have Victor Osimhen coming in from Bayern. He is someone we have chased for a while and we have finally got our man. There is a very good amount of funds left over and hopefully we will get very good prize money etc to add to it. This will be spent in one way or another on replacing Enzo but in what guise and which type of market, we are not sure yet. Man City can have anyone they want in the auction so we have to keep that in mind when planning.
Ultimately Cuadrado and Jordi Alba need replacing but that may be a job for the next season or two but we will keep an open mind and see where the window takes us. I think it's important not to be inflexible and act in accordance of the market.
And lastly you found success with Porto. That was certainly unexpected, how are you feeling about that?
Very proud indeed. I don't m,ind saying I did a fantastic job with them. There is no way that squad should have been anywhere near that title, so to tough it out and finish top of the league is quite some achievement. Numbers wise I think we should have been looking at 8th or 9th, so to win it shows huge courage and bravery and it has to be said, I never expected this success. Two titles in one season, not too shabby.
Thanks Tim and good luck for next season.