It takes a bold or bright chairman to back an untried manager, which is probably why the same old names crop up whenever there is a vacancy, names that are available because they have failed. Peter Ridsdale of Leeds is a lucky chairman, so far.
For a month he tried not to appoint David O'Leary. Having failed to hang on to George Graham, then to prise Martin O'Neill away from Leicester, he did his best to make O'Leary feel he was the only man for the job. And O'Leary may prove him right.
In virtual parallel the new manager is backing untried players, reaping the legacy of Howard Wilkinson's youth set-up and the rub-off from two years working with Graham. "I kept pushing George to put them in. Now I'm enjoying doing it myself," he said, after they had helped him to a third successive league victory. Jonathan Woodgate, 18, is established in defence in a 3-4-3 system. Harry Kewell, 20, played just behind the front two, sometimes called the hole. On Saturday, as Charlton lost the plot, it became a chasm, from which he made hay, set up the second and third goals and scored the fourth.
Lee Bowyer, 21, taken from Charlton for £2.6 million, spoiled his midfield display with a gratuitous late booking. But, by the immutable law of the ex, he scored.
Alan Smith, 18 last month, capped the game's sharpest move with the third goal. Clyde Wijnhard had laid on the first for Jimmy Floyd Hasselbaink, prodding an intended shot to him as he lost his footing. Charlton showed little of the organisation that has served them so well. Paul Mortimer came off the bench to make it 21, only for Smith to make it 3-1 a minute later.
Leeds United: Martyn, Hiden, Woodgate, Molenaar, Harte, Halle, Hopkin, Bowyer, Kewell, Wijnhard (Smith 59), Hasselbaink. Subs Not Used: Haaland, Wetherall, Ribeiro, Robinson. Booked: Hiden, Wijnhard, Bowyer. Goals: Hasselbaink 34, Bowyer 51, Smith 67, Kewell 87.
Charlton Athletic: Ilic, Mills (Mortimer 58), Powell, Rufus, Tiler, Youds, Redfearn, Kinsella (K Jones 76), Robinson, Hunt (S Jones 68), Mendonca. Subs Not Used: Barness, Royce. Booked: Youds, Mills. Goals: Mortimer 65.
Referee: R Harris (Oxford).
