Members of the Leeds United board are due to meet in London today to discuss the managerial situation at the club, with caretaker boss Peter Reid the red-hot favourite to be given an extended run in the Elland Road hot seat.
United's dramatic 3-2 win at Highbury on Sunday guaranteed the Yorkshire club's Premiership survival and Reid is believed to have impressed chairman John McKenzie and the other board members since he took over from Terry Venables six weeks ago.
It would appear that Reid has not only won the backing of the Board, but the players as well. Skipper Dominic Matteo revealed: "The gaffer has been fantastic. It has been good to work for him and I hope he gets the job. I think he deserves it."
Matteo added, "We tried not to think about relegation, but the reality was that we were in that position. I don't believe anybody apart from ourselves and the manager expected us to go to Highbury and win. We've had a difficult year, a lot of ins and outs, but we've never talked about people leaving or the financial troubles. We have kept a good spirit in the dressing room and that has what has come through in the end."
Sunday's goalscoring hero Mark Viduka also voiced his support for Reid. "He's had a short period of time to do it in but he has done wonders," said Viduka. "All the boys respect him and like working with hi".
A host of managers, inevitably, have been linked with the job including Micky Adams, Paul Hart, Martin O'Neill and Gordon Strachan.
Furthermore, former boss David O'Leary recently said that he would be 'absolutely delighted' to return to the club as manager. O'Leary left the club after it was reported that he fell out with former chairman Peter Ridsdale, but with Ridsdale no longer at the club O'Leary insists that he would be happy to return.
"I always had the fans with me and I have got a sneaking feeling deep down that I might get back there and manger them," said O'Leary. "I didn't want to leave and if I was asked by the right people I would take it without a doubt."
Reid has remained tight-lipped about the situation, saying that he is looking no further than the final league game against Aston Villa on Saturday. "All I want to do is finish Sunday's game and we will go from there," said Reid.
Although chairman John McKenzie admitted that Reid has done a 'fantastic job' and was a 'strong candidate' for the position, he also revealed that there are others in contention. "Even though we have not had the best of seasons I think there a lot of people who would be interested in managing Leeds," said McKenzie.
