Defeat at his old club Tottenham tomorrow could bring Terry Venables' time at Leeds United to an end, writes Michael Walker

Today marks the 15th anniversary of Terry Venables' appointment as manager of Tottenham but, while happy to speak about his time at White Hart Lane before his return there with Leeds tomorrow, the 59-year-old is well aware that the past four months at Elland Road are his overriding concern. "Times have moved on," he reflected.

Venables signed a two-year contract when he succeeded David O'Leary in the summer but after losing five out of seven of Leeds's home games in the Premiership he has come under such pressure from the Yorkshire public that he felt compelled to use the word "if" when talking about his immediate future yesterday.

"I am here at a time when I think it needs me to keep it tight and still and be bold and do what I feel is right," Venables said. "If I get the time I will turn it round. I have no control over 'ifs' but anything in my control I will deal with.

But I'm not presumptuous enough to think I know what is going to happen. You never know in this game. What I expect is a fair chance and, if given that chance, I'm confident." Others are less so. Fan disaffection reached a new level at Elland Road after last Sunday's 4-2 home defeat by Bolton Wanderers but Venables said: "I was brought up in such a way that I would not be bullied about things like that. The main things that concern me are the players, the coaching staff and the board.

"I would like the supporters to come along with us and join in. That's obvious but, whatever way it is, I will continue to do what I'm doing. I know what I think is necessary and time will tell whether I am right or not." That seems unlikely at present. Although Leeds's record under Venables is better away from home than at Elland Road - three wins to two - not even a victory at Spurs tomorrow will assuage those determined to make next Friday's a.g.m. at Elland Road a discordant affair.

Peter Ridsdale, the Leeds chairman who appointed Venables and sold Rio Ferdinand, will be the focus of supporter disenchantment but should survive the occasion. If so, then Venables can relax to a degree.

He has been boosted by positive contractual noises from Alan Smith and Harry Kewell, though he wants them "to put their pen where their mouth is", and Venables was reminded that his first year at Tottenham as manager in 1987 was an even more turbulent one.

Venables listed the players he lost when he inherited the job from David Pleat - Clive Allen, Ray Clemence, Glenn Hoddle, Richard Gough and Steve Hodge among others - and said: "That was probably worse than now." The difference is that Venables had the Tottenham fans with him then. Asked about the turbulence, Venables said: "I'm in that now and times have moved on. People lack the patience now. It's even a social thing, people want everything today. That's not the whole scenario but it's a bit of it. But then we had our moments (at Tottenham); they were a little restless there at times.

"I have a lot of good memories from then and a lot of rocky ones. That was a very tough beginning then, a really sort of evil period, we did have a real rough ride." That was forgotten as Venables assembled a team which won the FA Cup and there is still a well of affection for him at White Hart Lane - so much so that he acknowledged he will probably get a warmer welcome there than if the game was at Elland Road.

Guardian Service