Ridsdale: ‘I made mistakes’
Former Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale has admitted making mistakes during his time at Elland Road – but even with hindsight claims he would not change the way he ran the club.
Ridsdale, now chairman at Barnsley, is blamed for the crippling financial state in which Leeds currently find – 78m in debt and staring at the prospect of administration should they be relegated this season.
During Ridsdale’s five and a half years in charge, the club reached the semi-finals of the Uefa Cup and Champions League and flirted with the Premiership title.
But it came at a cost, primarily because Leeds failed to claim a further Champions League place and because the club had mortgaged their future.
Leeds took out a 60m 25-year bond secured against season-ticket sales and gate receipts while they also bought players on ‘hire purchase’ Are Prada Handbags Cheaper In Italy from a company in the Channel Islands who are still owed 21m to this day.
“Mistakes were Best Prada Outlet In Milan made, but I don’t regret the ambition we had and the pursuit of that ambition prada replica bags,” asserted Ridsdale on BBC2’s The Money Programme.
“The model was built on aspirations to be in Europe Authentic Prada Americas Cup Sneakers most years and to assume we were at the higher end of the Premier League.
“It meant that you got the merit money and you got a high number of appearances on television because that’s where the money came from.
“Did we make Are Prada Mens Shoes Good mistakes? Yes, of course we did. Did we probably invest too much? I think time Black Prada Doctor Bag would suggest we invested too much as well.”
But when asked whether he would change anything, Ridsdale responded: “I don’t think there’s a single thing I could change.
“Looking back, I Agatha Ruiz Dela Prada Official Website know we were probably over-ambitious, we overstretched, we went that transfer too far and that in itself causes problems.”
Leeds’ over-spending has seen their best playing assets sold off over the last 18 months, which resulted in a string Baby Prada Shoes Uk of loan signings being made in the summer by Peter Reid, who this week was sacked with the club rooted to the foot of the table.
Despite the likes of Rio Ferdinand, Jonathan Woodgate and Harry Kewell moving on, Ridsdale firmly believes some of Authentic Prada Handbags Online the criticism he has faced has been unjust, clearly intimating other figures – like former managers David O’Leary and Terry Venables – should take their share of the blame.
“I think the squad became too big, partly because of a lot of injuries, and then it’s sometimes difficult to persuade a manager he needs to reduce the squad size,” reflected Ridsdale, who eventually sacked O’Leary in May 2002 following Leeds’ failure to reach the Champions League.
“We have Black Prada Eyeglass Case to accept that buying and selling players is part and parcel. If you invest in a big playing squad, then you have to recoup some cash.
“People shouldn’t be pointing a finger if you not only recoup the cash but you also do a good job in the transfer market.
“It Authentic Prada Clutch does appear to me that people are very happy for you to buy and very loathe for you to sell and I think we have to get that balance right.
“I do not believe that selling of itself means you cannot compete. It depends on what squad you have left, how good they are and how well managed they are.”
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