Sky Bet Championship: Leeds manager Neil Redfearn admits concern for future

Leeds head coach Neil Redfearn said the uncertainty over president Massimo Cellino's future and player recruitment is making life difficult for him at Elland Road.

Cellino is likely to find out whether he will have to step down as director next week after his appeal against his disqualification from owning Leeds was heard on Thursday.

If the Football League's ban is upheld the Italian will have to step down as a director until March and team strengthening appears to have been placed on the back-burner while the club addresses more pressing off-field matters.

"Obviously I'm just getting on with it," Redfearn told a press conference ahead of Saturday's home league game against Birmingham.

"Whatever will happen will happen. It'll take it's course. We've just got to concentrate on the football. We've got a big task and a tough game on Saturday. We've got to make sure we're concentrated with that."

Redfearn had identified Luciano Becchio as one player he would have liked to have back at the club, but Cellino has ruled that out, while defender Stephen Warnock completed his permanent move to Derby this week.

"I was asked to put names together and I have done," Redfearn said. "That's where it's at.

"Ultimately we have an owner, a recruiter and it's not just one man. It's not just a manager bringing players in. I'm head coach and I can only suggest players."

Asked whether new signings were dependent on Cellino, Redfearn added: "I wouldn't know. I wouldn't know the case either way.

"We need to bring players in, that's a fact, and we've identified positions where we need to strengthen or cover.

"But I'm more interested and focused on this game on Saturday. The hand I've got is the hand I've got and we had a great performance against Bolton and we're showing togetherness, which is important at this time of year.

"There's still time yet in the window. In an ideal scenario we'd freshen things up. That goes without saying. But I'm head coach. I coach the players. My job is to prepare the team for Saturday."