David O'Leary is set to reap the benefits of Leeds United's resilient performance in Tuesday evening's UEFA Cup game against AS Roma when the club announces this morning that he is to succeed George Graham as manager.
The move follows Martin O'Neill's decision to stay at Leicester City, a decision which he says was influenced by the reaction of supporters who gave him a standing ovation after Monday's 2-1 success over Tottenham.
O'Leary, who has taken charge of Leeds on a caretaker basis in their last three games, travelled to Rome on Monday expecting that it would be his last official assignment for the club.
By the time he arrived back yesterday afternoon all had changed dramatically - and it wasn't all down to O'Neill's refusal to move to Elland Road.
"Clearly David O'Leary is now in pole position for the job," said club chairman Peter Ridsdale. "Anyone who watched our game in Rome will know that he did his chances no harm whatsoever.
"It was one of our better performances in Europe and the players did him proud in the game. We'll now have a board meeting to discuss the situation and I expect that we will be in a position to make an announcement within the next 24 hours."
Ironically, O'Leary, Graham's assistant at Elland Road for the last 18 months, was only third in line for the vacancy when his old Arsenal mentor resigned to join Tottenham.
Coventry's refusal to allow Gordon Strachan to enter into discussions with Leeds narrowed the choice and when O'Leary said initially that he wasn't interested in filling the post on a more permanent basis all the indications were that it would go to O'Neill.
Explaining his volte face, O'Leary said that initially he wasn't certain if he was experienced enough to do himself and club justice if he took the job.
"Management is a tough business and just as players have to learn their trade, you've got to hasten slowly when you go into that part of the game.
"I was fortunate in having one of the best tutors of all in George Graham and I would gladly have stayed on as his number two if he chose to remain at Elland Road.
"There were doubts originally but everybody at the club has been very supportive and I'm now ready to give it my best shot if I'm appointed."
A 1-0 defeat by the Italians in Rome's Olympic Stadium gives Leeds a realistic chance of making further progress in the UEFA Cup, but it was less the result than the approach the caretaker manager adopted which earned him the backing of the Leeds chairman.
Under Graham Leeds had acquired a reputation as a solid, defensive side with limited ambition going forward. O'Leary's strategy, identified by his choice of the Republic of Ireland youth player Stephen McPhail in midfield, shifted the emphasis and it obviously impressed Ridsdale.
O'Leary's appointment by Leeds could have long-term implications for the FAI, who interviewed him for the vacancy created by the departure of Jack Charlton even though he didn't apply for the position.
In hindsight, that was a naive move, motivated solely by O'Leary's outstanding record as a player. However, with a proven track record in management, at some point in the future he could emerge as a contender to take charge of the national team.
Meanwhile, O'Neill, who looks likely at some stage to be offered the corresponding post with Northern Ireland, is considering an offer of a new improved contract with Leicester, which would tie him to the club until 2002.
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