Nicky Law today claimed David O'Leary could have few arguments over his Leeds sacking.

While Law has had no cash to deal with at Valley Parade, O'Leary splashed out more than £90m in his four-year reign. And he paid the price for failing to deliver any silverware.

Law said: "When you spend that kind of money then the pressure is on to show something for it. People want real success and finishing third or fourth is not success.

"If you chuck big money at the team then everyone demands to see trophies at the end of it and that's not happened. Alright, he got Leeds into Europe - but there are other teams who also qualify for Europe without spending that amount."

Republic of Ireland boss Mick McCarthy is one of the names being touted to take over the Elland Road helm.

McCarthy played alongside Law and his assistant Ian Banks at Barnsley and the City manager said: "He has done a good job dealing with Premier League players with Ireland.

"Mick has the experience at that level and coped with the Roy Keane situation and the World Cup. There are a lot of big egos in the Leeds dressing room and you have to be a strong character."

Leeds chairman Peter Ridsdale has insisted O'Leary was sacked for football reasons and dismissed O'Leary's claim that his successor was already lined up. Celtic manager Martin O'Neill has beeen heavily tipped for the job, in addition to McCarthy, but Ridsdale said: "There is no successor nominated or indeed approached and we have to decide who we believe is the best manager to take us to the next stage.

"I haven't approached anybody. At the moment we have a shortlist which has been added to because a number of people have let it be know they would like to be considered. I've been pleasantly surprised by the interest expressed by some quality managers."

Ridsdale revealed he sacked O'Leary because of a lack of silverware and Leeds' failure to qualify for the Champions League.

O'Leary was sacked yesterday amid rumours Rio Ferdinand was on the verge of moving to Manchester United.

But Ridsdale insisted Ferdinand was not for sale - especially not to United as a clause in the England defender's contract blocks a move to another Premiership club.

And he claimed a comparative lack of success at Elland Road in recent seasons was behind the decision.

He said: "We felt that having spent around £100million and for two years running wanting to get into the Champions League and failing it was time to make a change.

"I understand the shock but most Leeds supporters have told me that what they want to see is silverware and after a £100million investment we have failed to achieve that."