News broke earlier in the national media, such as the Express, and was reported on The 72, that Steve Evans’ tenure was likely to see the current Leeds United head coach replaced by a foreign coach.
Not just any old foreign coach but a decent ‘name’; well as decent a name as a World Cup winner can get I suppose. The man linked to the Elland Road job, still currently Steve Evans’ by the way, is none other than ex-Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro.
It was pretty shocking to hear of such a high-profile name being linked to the Leeds United ‘job’, but Cannavaro is available after leaving Saudi Arabian club Al-Nassr only last month.
The Mail Online say that Leeds owner Massimo Cellino is “reportedly unhappy with his team’s progress in the Championship,” leading to reports that Steve Evans, who is on a rolling contract at Elland Road will not have his contract renewed, supposedly making way for Cannavaro.
42-year-old Cannavaro, holder of a UEFA Pro licence, has had two jobs in management – neither of which you could class as ‘high-profile’. His first job in management was at Chinese Super League side Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao (22 games) and then with Saudi side Al-Nasr Riyadh (13 games) – overall having a 45.7% win rate.
A potential move to Elland Road would mean a step up in footballing prestige for the former Real Madrid player, Leeds United and the Championship representing the most prestigious team and competition that he’d have been associated with.
Cannavaro would arrive at Elland Road not quite squeaky clean either, with a 10-month prison sentence to his name. At the end of February 2015, Cannavaro was handed down a 10-month custodial sentence for breaching a court order to stay out of visor operate after it was seized by authorities investigating him for tax evasion.
Added to these investigations were the seizing of goods totalling almost €1m – including the seizure of a €180,000 yacht. At the time, Cannavaro’s company FD Service were said by the Italian Agency of Revenue to owe around €1m in unpaid taxes that they said came from underpayment of Corporation, Regional and VAT taxes between 200-2010.
ALower taxes, allegedly seized yacht and a prison sentence you say; welcome to Leeds United.
