Leeds chairman salutes new manager

Terry Venables has signed a two-year contract to replace David O'Leary as the manager of Leeds United AFC.

Statement to stock exchange
The English FA Premiership club, in a statement to the London Stock Exchange, said that Venables, a former manager of England, FC Barcelona and Tottenham Hotspur FC, would be unveiled at a press conference at Elland Road on Wednesday.

O'Leary sacked
He replaces O'Leary who left the club on 27 June. Leeds had said the Irishman's departure was by mutual consent but the former manager insisted he was sacked. Venables has been released from his job as a television pundit to take the role.

'Infectious enthusiasm'
Peter Ridsdale, the chairman of Leeds, confirmed that he had thrashed out a deal with the 59-year-old Venables in Spain at the weekend. "I had lunch with Terry in Spain on Saturday and within ten minutes, so infectious is his enthusiasm, that he has you believing that you can play for England," Ridsdale said.

'The very best'
"Imagine how that must make a player puff out his chest. I firmly believe we have the best - the very best. Players respect him, coaches admire him and I do think that Terry is special. You talk to anybody in the game - the players, the managers, the coaches - and they are almost unanimous in their verdict that Terry is the best coach and manager in the game," Ridsdale added.

Venables honours
Venables led England to the semi-finals of the 1996 UEFA European Championship, and won the English FA Cup with Tottenham and Primera División title with Barcelona. More recently, he was caretaker coach at Middlesbrough FC and had spells with Portsmouth FC and Crystal Palace FC.

Other candidates
Middlesbrough's Steve McClaren and Celtic FC manager Martin O'Neill had both been touted for the Leeds post. But McClaren said at the weekend that he was committed to Middlesbrough while O'Neill confirmed he would honour the remaining eleven months of his contract in Glasgow.

UEFA Cup looms
Leeds finished fifth in the Premiership last season, missing out on qualification for the UEFA Champions League, although they will take part in the UEFA Cup.