Leeds board to discuss new boss

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale and his fellow directors will convene tomorrow and decide on the manager they want to replace David O’Leary.

The Irishman was dismissed suddenly on Thursday after four years at the helm.

Leeds are anxious to bring in a replacement as soon as possible with players about to return to pre-season training.

While the World Cup final is taking place, the board will get together at a hotel in Harrogate.

Apart from Ridsdale, the key decision-makers will be deputy chairman Allan Leighton plus fellow directors Stephen Harrison, Richard North and David Spencer.

Leeds will compete in the UEFA Cup this season but the board are desperate to re-enter the Champions League.

Martin O’Neill, Mick McCarthy, Guus Hiddink and Steve McClaren are believed to head the list of favourites. But Ridsdale has claimed there is no specific target in mind.

Middlesbrough, however, have moved swiftly to dismiss suggestions that McClaren could be in the running for the job.

As Celtic insisted that O’Neill is going nowhere and Charlton issued a hands-off message over Alan Curbishley, speculation mounted that Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy could be ready to return to club football.

Ridsdale has confirmed that the club have drawn up a shortlist, but Boro were quick to rule out their man, who has only been in the job a year.

‘‘Everyone at this club is concentrating on preparing for the new season,’’ chief executive Keith Lamb told the club’s official website, www.mfc.co.uk.

‘‘The manager and his staff have no time to be taking any notice of speculation.

‘‘He’s working hard and busily making plans for the new season with Middlesbrough.’’

McClaren is back in England after his trip to Japan with Sven-Goran Eriksson’s World Cup squad and is currently attempting to strengthen his hand before the start of the new season.

Only on Friday, he confirmed he is hoping to have up to three new faces in the camp by the time the new campaign gets underway, and with his summer holiday fast approaching, he intends to make significant moves before he puts his feet up.