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Woody
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 Posted: Thu Sep 14, 2006 12:35 am Post subject: He is guna |
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BLACKWELL VOWS TO FIGHT
By Ross Heppenstall, PA Sport
Leeds manager Kevin Blackwell insists he will not quit - even though his own supporters called for his head during the 3-0 Coca-Cola Championship defeat against Sunderland.
The reverse was Leeds' third straight home loss and leaves them in the relegation places - but Blackwell is adamant he will not resign.
The Elland Road boss says he has rebuilt the club in the wake of their relegation from the Premiership in 2004 - and he believes he can keep taking Leeds forward.
Blackwell said: "I'm going to keep on doing my job and I've already turned this club around from nothing.
"If you look where we've come from, with no players, then I think I can turn this around - no problem.
"I think the fans are fed-up with what has happened at Leeds. They can see a situation at Sunderland, where someone comes along and pumps millions into the club - and they think 'why can't it be us?'
"They've had four or five years of being kicked where it hurts and they've seen their best players being sold.
"I think the fans need to know the real truth about this football club - but I don't think it will come out in the short term.
"I think in the long term people will realise what a good job has been done at this football club."
Blackwell offered injuries as the principle reason for his side's dreadful start to the season - and admitted there is little or no money to bring in loan signings.
"We've been blighted by injuries, and the squad is paper-thin at the moment," he added.
"Expectations are massive at this football club, particularly since we got to the play-off final last season.
"But we haven't been able to strengthen in the areas that we knew we needed to, because we have a financial burden at the football club which needs to be addressed.
"As a manager, it frustrates me - but I have to accept it. We've been trying to bring in loan signings. But the chairman (Ken Bates) says the finances at the moment are quite tight.
"It would nice to be competitive again in the transfer market, and we should be able to do that in 12 months' time when our debts have cleared."
Leeds were woeful against a Sunderland team who have been transformed side since Roy Keane arrived as their manager.
This latest victory - Sunderland's third in succession and their second since Keane took the helm - was every bit as convincing as the scoreline suggests.
First-half goals from new signings Liam Miller and Graham Kavanagh were added to by Stephen Elliott shortly after the break - to the delight of 5,000 travelling fans.
Keane made six astute signings before the closure of the transfer window - five of whom he named in his starting line-up - and is threatening to turn a team of losers into serious promotion contenders.
He said: "I spoke during the last few weeks about character, spirit and desire of the players - but on top of that you need good players with talent.
"They showed that tonight, and I'm proud of them. The new players have helped. There's been a big issue over them, but I'd like to give credit to the ones who were already here.
"I felt in my bones that if we got it down and passed then we would have a chance - and our lads were outstanding."
The only negative for Keane came with injuries to Elliott, David Connolly and Dean Whitehead.
"We'll assess the players in the morning," he said.
Keane was predictably subjected to abuse throughout by the Leeds fans - two of whom attempted to confront him at the beginning of the second half before being led away by stewards.
"Was that for me?," smiled Keane.
"I thought they had got lost."
Lat bit really sticks in ya throat 
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