David O'Leary has revealed his fear of failure is the driving force behind his ambition to succeed as Leeds boss. As O'Leary often states in press conferences, despite having turned Leeds into one of the most feared and respected sides in the Premier League during his two-and-a-half years in charge, he is a done-nothing manager.
Although there is no silverware in the Elland Road trophy cabinet, O'Leary can take some satisfaction from having helped the club generate millions of pounds in terms of lucrative new sponsorship deals. But having won virtually every honour available as a player during his long and distinguished career with Arsenal, O'Leary is desperate for his first taste of success as manager of Leeds. With the club currently standing on the brink of a place in this season's Champions League final, a year after reaching the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup, O'Leary is within touching distance of being hailed a great manager.
The Dubliner admitted: "I wasn't a bad little player. I won most things at Arsenal by not being a bad player and now I want to win things as a manager. I'm very hungry to do that. That's what drives me on - the hunger and wanting to be the best. Anything I try to do I want to do it as best as I can. If I fail, then I fail. But I fear that. That's the biggest thing that would hurt me more than anything else. I'll let other people comment on what makes a great manager and leave others to talk about the club's progress. I'll just try and do what I can do.
O'Leary has experienced differing emotions in his third season in charge at Elland Road, having received his fair share of criticism following some below-par performances earlier in the season. He continued: "At times I've had to more than manage. The vultures have been out, with a lot of people jumping on the bandwagon when we were going through bad times, even though they were circumstances beyond my control. In truth, I've learnt more this season than in the previous two. I've learnt more because so much has been thrown at me, like nobody else has ever had thrown at them. But I've come through it and now we're so close to reaching the Champions League final, which would be a hell of an achievement after what has happened this season."
Last season's beaten finalists in Valencia stand between Leeds and a place in the final at the San Siro in Milan on May 23 against either Bayern Munich or Real Madrid. He added: "We're in the last four of this competition and within touching distance of the final. The semi finals of any event are nerve-wracking and to be in another one is amazing and all credit to the players." And for O'Leary, who celebrates his 43rd birthday on Wednesday, there is only one wish he needs granting as he added: "That would be to win 4-0 - to give us a chance of getting into the final." (PA)
Filed by Shane Murray
