Reliable journalist: Leeds clip wings of Heckingbottom before he starts
By Richard Parks
Paul Heckingbottom will not be allowed to bring in many staff at Leeds United as he prepares to be unveiled as the club’s new manager, according to a reliable journalist.
Sun correspondent Alan Nixon, who is a reliable source of Leeds and Championship-related news, reported on his personal Twitter account on Tuesday morning that United top brass are clipping the wings of Heckingbottom as they prepare to appoint their eighth head coach in four years.
Nixon said that his information is that the 40-year-old hire from Barnsley will not be allowed to bring many backroom team members with him, as a couple are “staying from previous regime”.
It was expected that Heckingbottom would have a clean slate to work with at Elland Road after it emerged that the key allies of former manager Thomas Christiansen followed him out of the club.
Julio Banuelos, Paul Butler, and Ivan Torres were given their marching orders, although it has not been reported whether set-piece coach Gianni Vio and goalkeeping coach Marcos Abad are still at Leeds.
Heckingbottom is expected to be announced as the new Leeds boss later today (Tuesday).
Other reports have stated that he will be joined at Elland Road by his assistant at Barnsley, Jamie Clapham, the former left-back who had a season on loan at Leeds when they were in League One in 2007-08.
Heckingbottom’s first game in charge will be in front of the Sky TV cameras as he takes his team to face Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Saturday lunchtime.
In other Leeds United news, it can be revealed that Heckingbottom has emerged from a three-man shortlist.
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