Leeds United: Rosler gets the vote of confidence from Cellino

HEAD coach Uwe Rosler has received full backing from Leeds United owner Massimo Cellino despite an indifferent start to the season.
Uwe Rosler during Saturday's defeat at MiddlesbroughUwe Rosler during Saturday's defeat at Middlesbrough
Uwe Rosler during Saturday's defeat at Middlesbrough

Leeds are mid-table in the Championship with 11 points after nine games, four points off both the play-off and relegation places.

But the German remains the right man for Cellino despite saturday’s 3-0 defeat at Middlesbrough.

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Cellino says Rosler is “the coach I was looking for” and pledged to give him time in the job after dismissing four head coaches in the 13 months after his takeover of the club.

The 46-year-old German, who signed a two-year contract in May, has insisted repeatedly that Cellino would show patience with him as he attempted to improve a team who finished 15th in the Championship in both of the past two seasons.

Rosler made eight signings during the summer and will add another player to his squad on Friday when winger Will Buckley joins from Sunderland on a 93-day emergency loan, ready to make his debut at home to Birmingham City the following day.

Cellino said: “This coach is the best person for me and for the team. He’s the coach I was looking for when 20, 30 people asked me to give them the job in May. I chose him and if you gave me the choice I would choose him again.

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“If someone gave me the chance to change, I would take this coach and these players because we have something good here. This guy (Rosler), he is professional. I like him more than any coach I had here before.

“He needs help, he needs help to relax a bit and to let the players relax, but believe me I’m going to let this work. Last year was a nightmare. This year feels better. I’m never happy but I think we are growing. The coach thinks that, I think that.”

Rosler said on the day of his appointment that he was aiming to finish in the Championship’s top 10 this season and both he and Cellino have played down the likelihood of United winning promotion at the end of Rosler’s first term in charge.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s sixth, 10th, 14th, whatever,” Cellino said. “I only care about seeing this team grow and improve. If they grow, if they improve, then we’ve can say it’s a good season.

“Next season we will be in a better position for promotion. That is my view.”