Venables must quickly quell the unrest

The Leeds crisis: Ridsdale and his new manager confront disquiet in the crowd and talk of feuding among players

As it was declared this week, in a rather different context, it is a case of "unite or die". But whether you're the leader of Conservatives dis-United, or manager of Leeds or West Ham-far-from-United, you would be making roughly the same point to your respective teams.

A manager's future is never determined by a single match, so the chairmen contend, immediately after that "we thank him for everything he's done for the club" speech. But if ever there was a confrontation which might be termed the P45 derby, it is the contest at Upton Park today between clubs both eliminated from the Worthington Cup in midweek by First Division opposition.

Whichever of the two teams limp away defeated, their manager, Glenn Roeder or Terry Venables, will not even be able to take comfort from the fact that life immediately gets easier. West Ham next face Manchester United; Leeds travel to play Hapoel Tel Aviv in the Uefa Cup on Thursday, attempting to protect a one-goal lead from the first leg.

The bookmakers don't give either manager much chance of surviving until Christmas, although both are fortunate that their respective boards are not notoriously trigger-happy. The Hammers have employed only nine managers in their 100-year history, and although the Leeds hot-seat has been slightly more worn, by 21 rumps over 83 years, they are scarcely given to precipitant action, particularly under their current chairman.

At Leeds, Peter Ridsdale and his manager, Venables, are getting it in the neck, although both are made of flesh which over the years has become hardened to the barbs of discontent. Ridsdale, having endeared himself initially to the Elland Road faithful with his selection of David O'Leary as successor to George Graham, and his astute handling of off-pitch incidents, finds himself the object of criticism principally because of his endorsement of the Irishman's £90m spending binge over his four years there.

The chairman is maintaining his own counsel at present, but it is relevant to re-read his observations earlier in the season on the record losses for the last financial year, figures which "underlined the need for a club of our size, with the overhead structure that we have, not only to be in the Champions' League, but also to do well in all cup competitions. Last year's disappointing second half of the season... badly affected our income".

Therein lies Leeds' problem: maintaining a level of performance normally the preserve of Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool. Leeds have not won in the Premiership for six games, their last victory the defeat of United on 14 September, and were last week eliminated from the Worthington Cup by Sheffield United, a result that, depending on who relates it, ended with at best heated words, at worst a scuffle among players in the away dressing room.

Venables, a past master at "fronting" such situations, won't overtly condemn his players. Indeed, when it was put to him that some players were unrecognisable from those who performed so exhilaratingly to reach the semi-finals of the Champions' League the season before last, he retorted: "I wouldn't agree with that, apart from the Arsenal game [a 4-1 home defeat] when we got pulled around. It's basically all about getting our confidence up and, really, as boring as it may sound, that's just a case of one or two wins making a big difference. I do really feel in the last six or seven games it could have gone the other way."

Venables witnessed that European run as an ITV pundit and believes there was something missing, even then. "I thought the performances and work-rate were excellent. But it still needed something else apart from that because there was a time when I believed that they were heading for the bottom three [in the Premiership]. They weren't playing well when coming back from the Champions' League. They weren't able to put the same amount of effort into their next game. Last season things were not so good and the form was indifferent. That can happen to young players. That's why we need to bring some experience in."

Leeds' financial results did not include money from the sale of Rio Ferdinand and Robbie Keane, transactions which eased the the plc worries but significantly weakened Venables' squad. Did he understand that money would be available for transfers when the window opens in January? "Well, I haven't counted it yet," he responded with that knowing smile, "but they've told me that money will be found to do things. They've not said anything about selling at this stage."

It was suggested that he couldn't have had a worse introduction than to be a helpless bystander when Ferdinand was enticed away to Old Trafford. "I knew that there had to be a certain amount of money brought in, but selling Ferdinand was a blow to me. I had taken the job not just because it was any job, but one where I could win something. I knew that the club had to do it in the end [accept nearly £30m for Ferdinand]. It was not the first thing that looked likely to happen when I first arrived. Then, it looked as though [Lee] Bowyer and [Olivier] Dacourt were going, but not Ferdinand."

Venables admits that ideally he would have liked to have played three at the back, "but we've kept to a four because they're used to that, although injuries [to Dominic Matteo and Jonathan Woodgate] have not helped. When I arrived, I could see Ferdinand, Woodgate and Matteo as a three that could take some beating and would give a great stomach to any team, but in the end he [Ferdinand] had to go."

The Elland Road regulars swiftly forget such losses, of course. Instead they castigate Venables for other perceived sins, such as appearing as a Champions' League pundit on ITV the night Robbie Fowler made his comeback in a reserve game. "I had three coaches there and, anyway, I do go to reserve games. Some people here before didn't go, but I do."

As for the refusal to utilise David Batty's experience, Venables has merely followed the policy of David O'Leary. The former England midfielder, now 34, may be a local hero, but he is no Alan Shearer.

Venables shrugged. "It's amazing the things that are being said, but I knew it would happen, so it's no good crying about it." That has never been his way.