leedslegend83
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The telephone rings as im sitting at home in South Carolina. To my suprise it's my agent, Richard Motzkin. He informs me that a very prestigeous club is in need of a full time manager, not just a caretaker and my name has come up during his talk with Mr. Ken Bates of Leeds United A.F.C. I ask Richard how my name came up and better than that why in the **** would I be on Mr. Bates mind for taking over a club like Leeds United with no Managerial experience in the game .....
My background has been in this sport since I was a young boy and I've played professionally and internationally since a young age. I am from the United States of America, the state of South Carolina. I played academy soccer in South Carolina during my high school years as I thought I could further my career if I played with a traveling academy team than my high school team.
At the age of 16 years old I was offered a professional contract with a small team in Ireland, Derry City. They play with the Irish Premier league (Airtricity League) but are based in Northern Ireland. My first year there was better than I could have ever expected. I won the Irish league player of the year, won the league title with my team and finished runner up to Bohemians FC in the Irish FA Cup.
As offers started to pour in for my services I kept my attention in Ireland until the Championship came calling. Southampton FC offered $4.3M for my services and I was on my way to Southampton, Hampshire in the UK. I played the next several years with Southampton in the Championship and in the EPL. My first International cap came against Cuba in Southern California on April, 24th, 2003. I was subbed in around the 70th minute as we were up 2-1 fighting back and forth with a determined Cuban team. In the 83rd minute I was out wide right chasing down a ball as I see Brian McBride and Landon Donovan crashing to the net, I put the ball in with a lot of air under it, McBride goes up for the header, next thing I hear is the croud errupt with passion! McBride just made it 3-1 and we saw out the next 10 minutes to win the match. That was the start of my international career and the first of many caps for my country. I was capped 38 times and scored 16 goals for the US before an injury with Southampton F.C. forced me into hanging up my boots.
Once I was done with rehab on my knee I received a job offer from Jan Poortvliet who was just named the Southampton manager in May, 2008. I remained with Southampton until Dean Wilkins took charge in August, 2010. I have learned a lot about management Jan Poortvliet, Mark Wotte and Alan Pardew during my time with this club. Sigi Schmid from the Seattle Sounders offered me the job of assistant manager in Seattle for the start of the 10/11 MLS season. I did very well as assistant manager in Seattle under Sigi, he's a brilliant football mind. I stayed in Seattle until the end of the 11/12 season when I resigned because of differences in opinion on the squad and staff decisions. Here we are, present day ....
I just signed the contract which is for 2 years and worth $10,500 per week, a massive contract from what I was used to making in Southampton and Seattle and even during my playing days. Richard and I arrive at Leeds Bradford International airport where Peter Lorimer awaits us to drive us to Elland Road for the press conference and unveiling of me as the new manager at Leeds United A.F.C.
We arrive at Elland Road and all I can think is "****, this stadium is massive". We pull into the garage and are escorted into the press room at Elland Road.
View attachment 220317
Mr. Bates takes to the podium ....
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here with us today for the unveiling of our new manager and a man we think will take this club into the future the best way possible. At this time I would like to introduce Mr.
Jeremiah Walsh as our Leeds United football manager"
Me: "Thank you for the warm welcome folks, I am very excited to be here and can't wait to get to work, I would like to take this time to answer any questions you all may have for me, first question?"
Paul Sulley (Sky Sports): "Hi, Jeremiah and welcome to the UK. What will be your aim as football manager here at Leeds this year and beyond, do you have a vision in mind or will you take it a little at a time?"
Me: "Thanks for the question. I can't afford to get ahead of myself at a club like this. This club missed promotion last year just by a little and I want to work on the small things that could have made the difference in being in the Championship for another year or playing Premier League football. We will work hard on lots of things but pay great attention on the small things that win and lose matches"
John Davies (Yorkshire evening Post)" Jeremiah, welcome to Leeds and congradulations on the job. With you being so young and having virtually no experience will you lean on other coaches to figure out the best tactics and formations for your club to run?"
Me: "No, we will work together as a staff, thats the point in having these guy's around. They are some of the best at what they do and we all have to understand what our roles are within the staff and figure out the best way for us to win the most matches possible. I am only interested in winning, have no time or interest in having an average year."
Chris Clegg (BBC Radio)"How does it feel being so young and the only American manager within the higher ranks of English football, do you think your appointment was more about who you know than what you have done?"
Me: "The truth of the matter is I do know a lot of people who have helped me along my way during my playing and coaching career. I also have no managerial experience but you have to start somewhere and I can't think of a better place to start than with this football club right here in Leeds. There are some great people here who I look forward to working with and having a special partnership with for the next several years"
Me: "That will be all the questions for now, I thank you for the questions and your time this evening, everyone, have a lovely evening"
My background has been in this sport since I was a young boy and I've played professionally and internationally since a young age. I am from the United States of America, the state of South Carolina. I played academy soccer in South Carolina during my high school years as I thought I could further my career if I played with a traveling academy team than my high school team.
At the age of 16 years old I was offered a professional contract with a small team in Ireland, Derry City. They play with the Irish Premier league (Airtricity League) but are based in Northern Ireland. My first year there was better than I could have ever expected. I won the Irish league player of the year, won the league title with my team and finished runner up to Bohemians FC in the Irish FA Cup.
As offers started to pour in for my services I kept my attention in Ireland until the Championship came calling. Southampton FC offered $4.3M for my services and I was on my way to Southampton, Hampshire in the UK. I played the next several years with Southampton in the Championship and in the EPL. My first International cap came against Cuba in Southern California on April, 24th, 2003. I was subbed in around the 70th minute as we were up 2-1 fighting back and forth with a determined Cuban team. In the 83rd minute I was out wide right chasing down a ball as I see Brian McBride and Landon Donovan crashing to the net, I put the ball in with a lot of air under it, McBride goes up for the header, next thing I hear is the croud errupt with passion! McBride just made it 3-1 and we saw out the next 10 minutes to win the match. That was the start of my international career and the first of many caps for my country. I was capped 38 times and scored 16 goals for the US before an injury with Southampton F.C. forced me into hanging up my boots.
Once I was done with rehab on my knee I received a job offer from Jan Poortvliet who was just named the Southampton manager in May, 2008. I remained with Southampton until Dean Wilkins took charge in August, 2010. I have learned a lot about management Jan Poortvliet, Mark Wotte and Alan Pardew during my time with this club. Sigi Schmid from the Seattle Sounders offered me the job of assistant manager in Seattle for the start of the 10/11 MLS season. I did very well as assistant manager in Seattle under Sigi, he's a brilliant football mind. I stayed in Seattle until the end of the 11/12 season when I resigned because of differences in opinion on the squad and staff decisions. Here we are, present day ....
I just signed the contract which is for 2 years and worth $10,500 per week, a massive contract from what I was used to making in Southampton and Seattle and even during my playing days. Richard and I arrive at Leeds Bradford International airport where Peter Lorimer awaits us to drive us to Elland Road for the press conference and unveiling of me as the new manager at Leeds United A.F.C.
We arrive at Elland Road and all I can think is "****, this stadium is massive". We pull into the garage and are escorted into the press room at Elland Road.
View attachment 220317
Mr. Bates takes to the podium ....
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for being here with us today for the unveiling of our new manager and a man we think will take this club into the future the best way possible. At this time I would like to introduce Mr.
Jeremiah Walsh as our Leeds United football manager"
Me: "Thank you for the warm welcome folks, I am very excited to be here and can't wait to get to work, I would like to take this time to answer any questions you all may have for me, first question?"
Paul Sulley (Sky Sports): "Hi, Jeremiah and welcome to the UK. What will be your aim as football manager here at Leeds this year and beyond, do you have a vision in mind or will you take it a little at a time?"
Me: "Thanks for the question. I can't afford to get ahead of myself at a club like this. This club missed promotion last year just by a little and I want to work on the small things that could have made the difference in being in the Championship for another year or playing Premier League football. We will work hard on lots of things but pay great attention on the small things that win and lose matches"
John Davies (Yorkshire evening Post)" Jeremiah, welcome to Leeds and congradulations on the job. With you being so young and having virtually no experience will you lean on other coaches to figure out the best tactics and formations for your club to run?"
Me: "No, we will work together as a staff, thats the point in having these guy's around. They are some of the best at what they do and we all have to understand what our roles are within the staff and figure out the best way for us to win the most matches possible. I am only interested in winning, have no time or interest in having an average year."
Chris Clegg (BBC Radio)"How does it feel being so young and the only American manager within the higher ranks of English football, do you think your appointment was more about who you know than what you have done?"
Me: "The truth of the matter is I do know a lot of people who have helped me along my way during my playing and coaching career. I also have no managerial experience but you have to start somewhere and I can't think of a better place to start than with this football club right here in Leeds. There are some great people here who I look forward to working with and having a special partnership with for the next several years"
Me: "That will be all the questions for now, I thank you for the questions and your time this evening, everyone, have a lovely evening"
will Follow!
