Leeds United’s Premier League success with owner Andrea Radrizzani is aiming high

Bringing a classic, historic football club back to relevance and prominence for sure.

In the US media blitz Leeds United majority owner and chairman Andrea Radrizzani was in agreement with ESPN, the Iris Wall Street, CBS

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and Forbes. The club is 102-years back in the Premier League

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for the first time since the 2003-2004 season and are thriving as a newly inspired team. Led by Argentine manager Marcelo Biela and rising star Patrick Bamford, Leeds are just below the top half of the 20-team record with upcoming games against Wolves and Southampton.

“It’s been a good year to be back in the Premier League and in addition to the points, this year we are watching on the pitch all the games that we are not afraid of,” Radrizzani said over Zoom. “We play against all teams in the same way, with our own football philosophy. We stick to that and we host a lot of fans all over the world. I’m very proud of what the people are doing. ”

It has not been a direct route to success for Leeds since Radrizzani bought 100% of three-time English first division camps in May 2017. He admits he will make more than his fair share of mistakes during the 2017 season- 2018, when clubs finish 13th in a 24-team Championship.

“I changed two coaches and bought a lot of players and maybe made everyone who loves football or soccer with the joy of a new toy,” the 46-year-old said, “ Imagine you are making your own fantasy league with your friends. “

But Radrizzani said he understood his own mistakes and hired a quality management team, with Angus Kinnear joining as CEO from West Ham and Middlesbrough deputy Victor Orta as football director. From there, they hired Bielsa, a former offensive manager at Lille, Lazio, Athletic Bilbao and Chilean and Argentine national teams, for the 2018-2019 season.

With the management structure in place, Leeds established a culture that Radrizzani explains is built on the five core values ​​of aspiration, family, innovation, pride and dedicated commitment.

“I was fortunate to have found Marcelo, someone who represents these values ​​in his day-to-day work and who also passes these on to the people who work with him and the players,” he said.

Leeds made two major moves into the 2018-2019 season, buying Bamford from former club Orta Middlesbrough for nearly $ 9 million, signing goalie Kiko Casilla on a free transfer from Real Madrid and attacking young midfielder Jack Harrison on loan from Manchester City. The Whites made the Championship playoff, but lost a heartbreaking 4-3 to Derby County in the promotion semifinals.

They then built on that success by keeping Harrison on loan, borrowing defender Ben White from Brighton & Hove Albion, midfielder Helder Costa on loan from Wolves and goalie Illan Meslier from FC Lorient. Leeds won the Championship title, earning their place back in the Premier League and delighting the fans of the same club in town at its home on Elland Road.

Entering his first Premier League season under Radrizzani, the club spent more than $ 117 million in incoming moves, not to mention Harrison ‘s acquisition of Man City for another year. .

Rodrigo emerged from the center from Valencia for $ 33 million. Diego Llorente, a midfielder, came over from Real Sociedad for $ 22 million but injuries are limited to just two PL games. The right-handed player Raphina has been bought from Stade Rennes for just over $ 20 million and has been a vital piece for Leeds this season. Costa was permanently taken over from Wolves for just under $ 20 million, defender Robin Koch was acquired from Freiburg for $ 14.3 million and Meslier was permanently retained for $ 7.15 million and has to be the club ‘s top keeper this season.

Radrizzani credits the hard work the players have put in under Bielsa and the team’s offensive style to the hard training session the club runs. It is helped that Leeds have the 4th highest level of ownership in the league despite the lack of talent of some of the biggest and most expensive clubs in the Premier League.

“Behind this is a lot of hard work,” Radrizzani said. “The players, they are enthusiastic and they spend so much time at the training facility. It’s very difficult to follow Marcelo, but if they do, the results are coming. ”

Radrizzani said Leeds’ pre – season target is 40 points, and it looks like they are going to ruin that number. Next season the target is expected to be 50 points and then move on from there.

“We need to stay focused on consolidating the club in the Premier League,” he said. “It’s a club with a great legacy of the past and its glory and we need to keep the momentum. So we remember what we represent and we want to be key and relevant people in the world of football. At the same time, I think with the goal that there must be safety and every little step we need to consider is taken in a reasonable way. ”

A major ban on Leeds confirms the club has been infected with coronavirus infection. The road to the top six and a European berth with higher incomes. Radrizaani said the club will lose £ 40 million this season just from lost stadium revenue from Elland Road, and that is not reflected in merchandise, advertising and marketing and media money that will not be the side of the first year. getting so good. Combine the money they lost with all the money they spent on players in last summer’s transfer window and Leeds are left with more cash crunch than expected.

“We need to continue to grow and increase our commercial revenue and be competitive on the pitch,” Radrizzani said. “It has been a huge sacrifice from the investors, myself, my organization to support the club in the first year of the Premier League and to be competitive. But I think we have devised a good strategy for investing, retaining players, young players who can deliver good performances for the Premier League in the future. ”

Radrizzani said Leeds fans should not expect an oversized shower in the summer transfer window for the reasons mentioned, perhaps one or two of the new elements for the squad. He announced that the injured players should return to the pitch next season, which will inspire the first team as well.

Not surprisingly, Radrizzani said with a hearty smile that finance alone is Leeds’ biggest current obstacle to the club’s growth.

“This club has the potential to grow the value of equality and position in football and the league,” he said. “It has great potential because we are one city, one club, wonderful grounds around the stadium where we can build buildings and a new stadium, a strong global brand. This club is perfect. We need more investment to shorten the growth period. ”

Radrizzani is able to take this patient approach thanks to 49ers Enterprises, Jed York and the San Francisco 49ers owned by the NFL, which recently increased the Leeds minimum to 37%. York and Niners president Paraag Marathe is helping Radrizzani grow the club from an industry perspective, with Marathe holding the title of Leeds vice-chairman. He specifically follows his business partners in terms of stadium facilities, stadium management, merchandise and club brand expansion in the United States.

“It’s amazing what they did in Santa Clara with the 49ers,” Radrizzani told Levi Stadium. “So they definitely know where they can help us.”

A key goal for Leeds is to upgrade Elland Road to its original location as a new stadium built on the existing site. But the revenue needs to see significant growth for the club to go ahead with those plans, which means longer and more profitable success on the pitch.

“The goal is to stay in the Premier League two or three years and after three years in the Premier League, we have enough muscle to focus on the position next to the top six,” said Radrizzani.

And with Bielsa leading the club and Bamford scoring goals in a prime role, Leeds United have certainly had a good outlook as the next club in the Premier League challenges the traditional depression for a place of European glory and the illustrious income that accompanies it.