6 days ago
David O'Leary details how he learned of Leeds United sacking
Once upon a time, David O'Leary was one of the hottest young managers in British football.
The Republic of Ireland manager stepped into the breach at Elland Road following George Graham's departure for Tottenham Hotspur.
O'Leary was just 40 years of age when he made the step from assistant to manager at Leeds United in 1998 having served under Graham for three seasons. It was expected to just be a temporary stay with Martin O'Neill highly sought after.
Instead, O'Leary remained at the club until 2002, and during his four-year stint as Leeds boss, he led the club to the highest heights they had seen in years.
He finished inside the top-five in his three full seasons in charge of Leeds, with his crowning achievement coming in 2001 when his exciting young team featuring the likes of Rio Ferdinand and Alan Smith reached the semi-finals of the Champions League. (Image: PA)
The hero of Italia 90 had been expecting to take charge of Leeds for a fourth season when in the Summer of 2002, he was handed his P45.
Recalling the incident in an interview with The Telegraph this week, O'Leary explains how he was at the training ground doing some work before going on holiday when his phone rang and he was called into the chairman's office.
'I honestly thought we were going to be talking about summer transfers," says O'Leary.
"I go in and Peter [Ridsdale, then Leeds chairman] says: 'That's it, it's over. You've taken us so far, but we need someone to take us to the next stage.' Which was Terry Venables.
'So I see his telephone on his desk and I ask if I can make a call. He says: 'You want to ring your wife?' Well, if I'm honest I've never consulted Joy once on any football decision. She's just not interested. No, I'm ringing my solicitor Michael Kennedy. He answers and I say: 'I'm just in Peter Ridsdale's office. He's fired me so I'm handing the phone to you so you can discuss things.' I walked out the room and that was that.'
While Leeds failed to win a trophy during O'Leary's tenure despite spending massive amounts on transfers, the Arsenal legend had secured European football in each of his seasons at Elland Road.
Terry Venables replaced O'Leary right at the time when the club's financial issues were coming to a head. Within weeks of his arrival, Rio Ferdinand was sold to Manchester United for a world record fee for a central defender. David O'Leary at an Arsenal match in 2024. (Image: (Photo by Crystal Pix/))
Jonathan Woodgate was sold that January, and with Leeds in serious relegation trouble, Venables was sacked that Spring. The club eventually avoided relegation but went down the following year and within five years, Leeds had dropped to League One.
Despite the nature of his departure, O'Leary - who was awarded £2 million in compensation after taking a wrongful dismissal case against the club - holds no ill will.
'You can't argue with a chairman when they are going to fire you. You're not going to change their mind pointing out your record.
'I had a brilliant time at Leeds. And when I go back there, I get such a great reception.
"People pat me on the back and congratulate me for getting to the Champions League semi-final. Which is nice of them, but I didn't win it did I? I didn't even get to the final. At the end of the day, success is about winning trophies.'
