Dominic Matteo interview, August 2002
It's the day of the first team squad's traditional photo call and the boys are resplendent in their brand new, extremely creased (just come out of the packets) strips. The usual banter is flying about, with Lurpakman, an unfortunate soul in a padded white suit complete with trumpet on the only sunny day Leeds has seen so far in August, the victim of some below the belt punches from Alan Smith and Robbie Fowler and a painful ear tweaking from David Batty.
One player who is taking the day seriously is newly appointed captain Dominic Matteo, who LLL manages to collar in between his many photo requests and receiving some treatment for a groin injury picked up in the pre-season draw with Rangers. He's in demand but manages to spare a few minutes to give us his thoughts on an eventful close season and his hopes for the new campaign.
Aside from all the upheaval at Leeds it was a busy summer for Matteo, who went out to Japan to see both England and Ireland play in the World Cup before returning to Leeds and then flying out to the Far East again on the club's pre-season tour.
"Yes, there's been a bit of traveling but I've enjoyed it," he says. "The tour went well for me personally and for the team. We worked on a few things and there was a lot of traveling but I think we coped pretty well with it."
The tour, which took in Hong Kong, Melbourne and Bangkok, meant the team were out of the full British media spotlight just after the David O'Leary sacking and Rio Ferdinand's departure, but they were obviously still aware of the furore the departures had created at home.
"We're all professionals though and we just got on with it," says Dominic. "For me, Rio was a mate as well as a fellow player so I was disappointed (when he left), but life goes on. We had some good times together and we had a good partnership but there's a lot of other quality players here and hopefully we can pull together."
And when you've got players like Jonathan Woodgate and Lucas Radebe back on top form, Rio's defection can almost be forgotten, if not forgiven. But as well as losing their captain, the squad have had to get used to a change of manager over the close season - which, it seems, none of them expected.
"It was a shock when David O'Leary went, I didn't see it coming but I don't think anyone did really," he admits. "Obviously he bought me and when a manager buys you and then he leaves sometimes it's difficult. I got on very well with David and I was sad when he left, but what can you do?"
Indeed. And far from rejecting one of the best signings O'Leary made in his four years in charge, new boss Terry Venables, recognizing the Scot's leadership qualities and international class ability, appointed him captain.
"Yes, it's a great honour to be captain," says Dominic. "It's something you dream of as a boy, to be captain of a big club. The manager asked me to be captain of Leeds United and I'm very happy to do that and hopefully I will be successful."
So is the aim now to captain Scotland?
"I don't know about that! It's just an honour to be captain of my club at the moment and hopefully we'll have a good season, I just want to play more international games really."
It is difficult to say whether there is more or less pressure on the team for the forthcoming campaign than in previous years, with no-one tipping Leeds for the title and only a few predicting United will make a top three finish and qualify for the Champions League. The fans are craving success though and Rio's request to move to a certain "bigger and better" club has increased that hunger - and the players are well aware of the supporters' expectations. The court case has been over for months and can no longer be used as an excuse, and the squad has not been broken up as was widely predicted over the summer. It is time to concentrate on football and stars such as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Olivier Dacourt and Lee Bowyer will be expected to perform. After a summer of uncertainty, Dacourt and Bowyer now seem set to stay for the 2002/03 season at least, bringing Leeds some much-needed stability, and fans are desperate for the club to finally fulfill its potential.
"Obviously we will try to win something this year," says Matteo. "To reach the Champions League is always a target, but we need to win something because I think we're due something. We say it every year, as does every other club, but it's time to do our talking out on the field, and with the quality we've got we should be producing."
Leeds came through the pre-season schedule unbeaten, with good solid performances in the Far East and Australia, and Rangers providing a tough test. The games enabled Terry Venables to try out new formations and line-ups, but David Batty, Seth Johnson, Nigel Martyn and Gary Kelly were unable to travel while Robbie Fowler picked up an injury, so the new boss was unable to fully assess his squad before the season opener against Manchester City. The new season will provide some interesting combinations as Venables decides on his preferred line-up, but how do the squad feel on the eve of the 2002/03 season?
"We're quite confident," says Matteo. "We had some good games over the pre-season period and did pretty well in them. There's still a lot of work to be done, we're not the finished article, but we'll get there."
At the time of the interview there had been two departures from the squad and two additions, with Nick Barmby joining for £2.75million from Liverpool and Paul Okon, the former Middlesbrough and Fiorentina player, coming in on a free transfer. Both have played under Venables at international level, Barmby for England and Okon for Australia, and their versatility could prove invaluable to Leeds in the season ahead.
"I've known Nick for quite a number of years so I know what he's got," says Matteo. "I've just met Paul in the last couple of days. I've only seen him play a couple of times for Middlesbrough but I'm sure Terry knows what he's doing and he looks in training to be a quality player."
Dominic made his debut for Leeds in the memorable 1-0 win over AC Milan in the Champions League, immediately making a favourable impression on the fans, and scored his first goal in the 6-0 thrashing of Besiktas a week later. Since those days however Leeds have failed to qualify for the Champions League while Matteo's old club Liverpool have gone from strength to strength, winning five trophies and qualifying for Europe's premier club competition two years in succession. So does the success his former employers have enjoyed spur Matteo on?
"No, no-one was more delighted than me to see Liverpool win things," he insists. "I had great times there and since I've come to Leeds I believe I've become a better player so both situations are good, I'm pleased for myself and I'm pleased for them."
Now that the pre-season is over, a summer when Leeds have again seen more than their fair share of back page headlines, what are the new skipper's hopes for the new campaign?
"It would be nice to win something with the club and play a lot more games for Scotland this year," he says. "Hopefully Scotland will get some good results as we haven't been getting them lately! Basically I just want to be successful here and for my country."
And how fitting it would be to see the quietly ambitious Matteo lifting some long-awaited silverware next May, while our former captain watches empty-handed from over the Pennines. Well, we can but dream... watch this space.
(First published in 'Leeds, Leeds, Leeds', August 2002)
One player who is taking the day seriously is newly appointed captain Dominic Matteo, who LLL manages to collar in between his many photo requests and receiving some treatment for a groin injury picked up in the pre-season draw with Rangers. He's in demand but manages to spare a few minutes to give us his thoughts on an eventful close season and his hopes for the new campaign.
Aside from all the upheaval at Leeds it was a busy summer for Matteo, who went out to Japan to see both England and Ireland play in the World Cup before returning to Leeds and then flying out to the Far East again on the club's pre-season tour.
"Yes, there's been a bit of traveling but I've enjoyed it," he says. "The tour went well for me personally and for the team. We worked on a few things and there was a lot of traveling but I think we coped pretty well with it."
The tour, which took in Hong Kong, Melbourne and Bangkok, meant the team were out of the full British media spotlight just after the David O'Leary sacking and Rio Ferdinand's departure, but they were obviously still aware of the furore the departures had created at home.
"We're all professionals though and we just got on with it," says Dominic. "For me, Rio was a mate as well as a fellow player so I was disappointed (when he left), but life goes on. We had some good times together and we had a good partnership but there's a lot of other quality players here and hopefully we can pull together."
And when you've got players like Jonathan Woodgate and Lucas Radebe back on top form, Rio's defection can almost be forgotten, if not forgiven. But as well as losing their captain, the squad have had to get used to a change of manager over the close season - which, it seems, none of them expected.
"It was a shock when David O'Leary went, I didn't see it coming but I don't think anyone did really," he admits. "Obviously he bought me and when a manager buys you and then he leaves sometimes it's difficult. I got on very well with David and I was sad when he left, but what can you do?"
Indeed. And far from rejecting one of the best signings O'Leary made in his four years in charge, new boss Terry Venables, recognizing the Scot's leadership qualities and international class ability, appointed him captain.
"Yes, it's a great honour to be captain," says Dominic. "It's something you dream of as a boy, to be captain of a big club. The manager asked me to be captain of Leeds United and I'm very happy to do that and hopefully I will be successful."
So is the aim now to captain Scotland?
"I don't know about that! It's just an honour to be captain of my club at the moment and hopefully we'll have a good season, I just want to play more international games really."
It is difficult to say whether there is more or less pressure on the team for the forthcoming campaign than in previous years, with no-one tipping Leeds for the title and only a few predicting United will make a top three finish and qualify for the Champions League. The fans are craving success though and Rio's request to move to a certain "bigger and better" club has increased that hunger - and the players are well aware of the supporters' expectations. The court case has been over for months and can no longer be used as an excuse, and the squad has not been broken up as was widely predicted over the summer. It is time to concentrate on football and stars such as Harry Kewell, Mark Viduka, Olivier Dacourt and Lee Bowyer will be expected to perform. After a summer of uncertainty, Dacourt and Bowyer now seem set to stay for the 2002/03 season at least, bringing Leeds some much-needed stability, and fans are desperate for the club to finally fulfill its potential.
"Obviously we will try to win something this year," says Matteo. "To reach the Champions League is always a target, but we need to win something because I think we're due something. We say it every year, as does every other club, but it's time to do our talking out on the field, and with the quality we've got we should be producing."
Leeds came through the pre-season schedule unbeaten, with good solid performances in the Far East and Australia, and Rangers providing a tough test. The games enabled Terry Venables to try out new formations and line-ups, but David Batty, Seth Johnson, Nigel Martyn and Gary Kelly were unable to travel while Robbie Fowler picked up an injury, so the new boss was unable to fully assess his squad before the season opener against Manchester City. The new season will provide some interesting combinations as Venables decides on his preferred line-up, but how do the squad feel on the eve of the 2002/03 season?
"We're quite confident," says Matteo. "We had some good games over the pre-season period and did pretty well in them. There's still a lot of work to be done, we're not the finished article, but we'll get there."
At the time of the interview there had been two departures from the squad and two additions, with Nick Barmby joining for £2.75million from Liverpool and Paul Okon, the former Middlesbrough and Fiorentina player, coming in on a free transfer. Both have played under Venables at international level, Barmby for England and Okon for Australia, and their versatility could prove invaluable to Leeds in the season ahead.
"I've known Nick for quite a number of years so I know what he's got," says Matteo. "I've just met Paul in the last couple of days. I've only seen him play a couple of times for Middlesbrough but I'm sure Terry knows what he's doing and he looks in training to be a quality player."
Dominic made his debut for Leeds in the memorable 1-0 win over AC Milan in the Champions League, immediately making a favourable impression on the fans, and scored his first goal in the 6-0 thrashing of Besiktas a week later. Since those days however Leeds have failed to qualify for the Champions League while Matteo's old club Liverpool have gone from strength to strength, winning five trophies and qualifying for Europe's premier club competition two years in succession. So does the success his former employers have enjoyed spur Matteo on?
"No, no-one was more delighted than me to see Liverpool win things," he insists. "I had great times there and since I've come to Leeds I believe I've become a better player so both situations are good, I'm pleased for myself and I'm pleased for them."
Now that the pre-season is over, a summer when Leeds have again seen more than their fair share of back page headlines, what are the new skipper's hopes for the new campaign?
"It would be nice to win something with the club and play a lot more games for Scotland this year," he says. "Hopefully Scotland will get some good results as we haven't been getting them lately! Basically I just want to be successful here and for my country."
And how fitting it would be to see the quietly ambitious Matteo lifting some long-awaited silverware next May, while our former captain watches empty-handed from over the Pennines. Well, we can but dream... watch this space.
(First published in 'Leeds, Leeds, Leeds', August 2002)
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