Leeds United, relegated from the English Premiership last season, made Kevin Blackwell their new manager on Wednesday.
Blackwell became Leeds’s fifth manager in two years.
Blackwell (45) has been offered a two-year deal. He was number two to Peter Reid and then Eddie Gray at Leeds last season.
He will face a formidable task of even keeping the 2001 Champions League semifinalists in the First Division next season as he will be forced to oversee the sales of the few remaining stars at the club.
England striker Alan Smith is poised for a controversial £7-million move to bitter enemies Manchester United.
Also set to leave are Australian striker Mark Viduka, England international defender Danny Mills, who has been on loan at English League Cup winners Middlesbrough, Scottish international defender Dominic Matteo and even one of their teenage stars, James Milner.
Payments are due on a £15-million loan the board took out with Aston Villa shareholder Jack Petchey to secure their £22-million takeover in mid-March, with the first on June 1, an interest-only sum of £1,7-million. — Sapa-AFP