Leeds stall on appointing Blackwell

Kevin Blackwell’s hopes of today being appointed the new Leeds manager have been put on hold as the board appear to have had second thoughts.

It was believed Blackwell, who spent last season as head coach working at Elland Road under former bosses Peter Reid and Eddie Gray, would be confirmed in the Leeds hot seat.

Blackwell was understood to be on a shortlist of three - which also apparently included Rotherham’s Ronnie Moore and Peter Jackson at Huddersfield - and was interviewed last Wednesday.

The 45-year-old was expected to have been rubber-stamped in the job today and handed a two-year contract, but following a brief meeting with director Simon Morris at the ground, the situation has now become muddied.

“We are getting there,” backtracked Football Director Peter Lorimer.

“We have always said it is the most vital decision this club has had to deal with for a long, long time.

“Whatever happens and whoever gets put in charge has a mega job on their hands and we want to make sure every angle is covered.

“We are doing that now, but it is not quite sorted out yet. Until it is, it’s ongoing.

“All I can say is we are not quite ready. We have to look at other options should the one everybody thought it was going to be not turn out to be the right one.”