Blog de Brad

It has been a while my dear readers. I think that with the penultimate pre-season friendly match out of the way (the match in question ending in a 1-1 draw) that I discuss my own thoughts and reflections on the latest developments at Leeds United A.F.C, my local football team who I have supported in varying degrees throughout my life.

My History with Leeds United

My allegiance with ‘The Whites’ as they are often referred as, is based purely through my impressionable youth. Many old primary and secondary school friends are also huge supporters of the club and thus I followed suit. Living so close to the Elland Road football stadium (which I estimate is about two miles away from my house) is naturally another big factor, like I assume for many of my creed.

Born in the year of our last trophy winning 1991-1992 Division 1 season, my strongest support of the team comes now twenty years later as the team tries to claw back the success and size that it began to lose through the club’s infamous financial implosion; Peaking with a Champions League semi-final game against Valencia in 2001 to the dreaded season of 2003/04 with the clubs relegation from the Premier League.

While I was always familiar with the goings-on at Leeds throughout my life I was never a die-hard ‘White’, and I admittedly lost all attention to football completely throughout the first half of the millennium. I was never happy that our main rivals were loosing games, all I hoped was that Leeds United were winning. I didn’t care how they played, who had scored the goals or how the manager was performing; just that week-in, week-out we got three points.

Quickly moving along to the last couple of years before University, I was invited to a League 1 Play-Off final down at the Elland Road conference centre, where those unfortunate not to get tickets for the game at Wembley Stadium went to watch it.

Against Doncaster Rovers, Leeds had the chance to be promoted back into the Championship after there worst spell in the club’s existence. They lost 1-0 and I had never felt so passionate for my team in my entire life. The crowd were a fantastic and friendly bunch who, albeit known in general for having a bit of a trouble-making reputation, looked after each other.

This support was spurred on further by my move to University. Being slap bang in the middle of Manchester and Liverpool, Preston (where the University of Central Lancashire is based) contains a mix of football fans from the three locations listed, none of which I particularly like.

I actively look out for the latest developments in the team. How we play in games, how our nearest rivals are fairing throughout the season, who are the suspected transfer targets the team wants to acquire (or the lack of at this current time, as I will discuss later on).

These are my thoughts on the current state of Leeds United. Informed by what I have seen, read and talked about with other fans and Leeds United staff that I have been fortunate to of met in one form or another.

A Reflection of the 2010-2011 Season

As our first season back in the Football League Championship the 5th placed finish we ended on was incredibly pleasing for me. One place off a Play Off spot is an incredible result for a teams first season back in any tier of the Football League system, but is especially so when your that close to the Premier League.

However, I am incredibly relieved in some twisted way that we didn’t make it even further than we did. A premature promotion to the top-tier would amount to a lot of pressure on the club to achieve more than their means can get them to in our current state. With the Championship and Premier League divisions being too very different beasts to one another, I believe that the gradual transition we have now taken will pay dividends in the future; getting our feet firmly on the ground in the Championship and studying our options for success in a more timely manner this season. As the Manager, Simon Grayson, said in an interview for Sky Sports in April:

“The remit at the beginning of the season was not to get promoted. The remit at the beginning of the season was make sure we are in the Championship at the end of the season. I’ve done that.”

This was also the season we proved we could succeed without our former-goal scoring sensation that was Jermaine Beckford, know most famously for his 19th minute goal in our historical F.A Cup win against Manchester United on 04.01.2010, and who has moved to hopefully bigger and better things with Everton after seeing out his Leeds United contract.

Many players stepped up to the plate this year. Most notably our No.10, Luciano Becchio scoring 20 goals this season in all tournaments, and winger Max Gradel who won Leeds’ Player of the Year 2010-2011 and Player’s Player of the Year Awards. Our inevitable slip out of the play-off spots in the last couple of months of the season showed however that we lacked that little bit of extra class to get us to that next level, especially when studying our defence who had the worst record than any other top-half placed team at the end of the season.

The Upcoming 2011-2012 Season

A promotion spot has got to be on the cards this year as nothing below that will be acceptable for the fans (I know because I’m one of them). We must be showing signs of progression for our upcoming season and the only way we can do that is to be in the Play Off final at very least.

With the way we showed we could play last season, the old adage “there’s no smoke without fire” is an appropriate one. Chairman, Ken Bates, and the rest of the club management will of also recognised this and much more pressure to succeed will naturally be put on the club.

Transfers

Put bluntly, the only way we can make that step further is by recruiting players that have had Premier League experience, whether currently at Premier League clubs or transferred/relegated down a divisions in the last couple of seasons. Obviously, these types of players are made difficult to get because of their wages. Ken Bates policy on keeping bills down at Leeds United may hamper any deal on a player we may try and approach thus allowing more enticing Premier League suitors who can afford the wages and can guarantee top division football for a season to make offers.

This, in my mind, must the explanation for everyone noting just how quiet the pre-season transfer window has been for incoming players at Leeds and it shows thankfully the ambition the team has for itself. But, with the players that have come in and have left, regardless of how many we may be keeping tracks on, we are still a long way away from making ourselves any better than we were last season. Some fans I have spoken to indicate that we look worse, but I’ll let season do the talking for the team before I make any judgements on the matter.

This next section is broken down into the different player areas, what transfers have been made (in and out of the club), my analysis on these movements, and if any other players should be recruited before 31st August.

Goalkeeper

Players In: Paul Rachubka (Free Agent) Players Out: Shane Higgs (Free Agent) & Kasper Schmeichel (Sold)

The major controversy this pre-season so far for Leeds has been the departure of Kasper Schmeichel (son of the Manchester United legend Peter Schmeichel) to Leicester for a fee around £1.5 million who came in last season for Leeds. A clearly gifted goalkeeper, he saved us countless times from what looked to be guaranteed scoring opportunities for our opposition last season. By far the best ‘keeper in the Championship in one-on-one situations against an opponent, as well as documenting some truly amazing reaction saves.

I was definitely shocked to hear that Leeds had accepted an offer for him and especially angered when his apparent replacement was Paul Rachubka, former third choice goalkeeper at Blackpool. However, as time moves on I get less worried about this decision to let Schmeichel leave. The facts are his name probably carried him along a bit too much and has made him more expensive than he is probably worth at this current time. Leeds United mantra regarding player wages under the reign of Bates has been to get the maximum performance for the minimum price. Other goalkeepers in the Championship and in other leagues including the Premiership undoubtedly cost less and can do the job just as well as Schmeichel did.

The reports I heard so far about Rachubka is that he has done well for the club in our pre-season matches. Yet I believe that he has come in to the team as a replacement for our former second choice goalkeeper Shane Higgs who’s contract was not renewed at the end of last season. Evidence to suggest this is nothing more than seeing some P.R photos of Rachubka in a training session where he is wearing the number 12 on his shorts, the same number Higgs wore at the club. As well as this are the links we have had to more coveted players such as former-Liverpool-playing-Champions-League-winning Jerzy Dudek, Preston stopper Andy Lonergan, and Fulham prospect David Stockdale.

The only suggestion that I have over this matter is that someone needs to be signed before the start of the season on 6th August in this department. Having only one first-team goalkeeper would be a reckless thing to do when it could so easily of been avoided. Of course whoever comes in, must be able to compare closely to Schmeichel or this whole charade would of just been fruitless to begin with.

Defence

Players In: Patrick Kisnorbo (sort of) & Ben Parker (sort of) Players Out: Richard Naylor (Free Agent)

The departure of former-club captain Richard Naylor was a sorry sight for me. Together he and Kisnorbo were passionate and powerful enough as a central unit. However, times change and with them the old boys need to move on. Having a very stunted season himself, and with all the new recruitments in his area it, was fair that he was allowed to leave the club. He has since found a gig at Doncaster United, I wish him all the best there.

The mentions to Kisnorbo and Parker, who have been at the club for a while now, are because these players played no part of last seasons campaign (bar a 10 minute run-about for Kisnorbo in the last game of last year). Kisnorbo showed his worth in our League 1 promotion season. Big, strong and experienced, he should bring back the communication that whole of our new-look defence of last season lacked from the middle of the line.

Parker, probably wins the acclaimed ‘Most Unlucky 23 year old Football Player’ award for two years in a row after going through seven different operations in two injury hit seasons before getting back into the first team squad. If he can remember how to do it (the reports look promising), Parker is a left-back, a definite problem area for Leeds last season with new signing Fredrico Bessone not performing, eventually loaned out to League 1, and bringing in Paul McCarthey on loan from Sunderland who has since returned to his parent club. Parker may be just what the doctor ordered for us this season if he can remain fit.

In terms of what deals I would like to see in this department, the only glaring one I can think of is that left-back problem. Even though Grayson hasn’t ruled out Bessone in his plans just yet, I can’t help thinking between Parker and Bessone, we still can’t guarantee a consistent performance on the left side. The trial of 29 year old Boldizsar Bodor can put these worries to rest if he performs and is signed up, not that I know too much about the player bar him having 24 Hungarian international caps.

People have commented that a complete overhaul of our defence is needed because of our dire defensive record I talked about earlier. But with a bit of time I can only see the relationship in the back line become more natural and reliable to stop some of the sillier goals we let in last season. The trial of ex-Bolton player Jlloyd Samuel is promising news for those that would like to see new faces back there. As well this, the rumours of Eric Lichaj returning for another season after being a stand-out loan signing from Aston Villa in February last time round.

Midfield

Players In: Michael Brown) (Free Agent) Players Out: Bradley Johnson (Free Agent), Neil Kilkenny (Free Agent)

When I heard the news that Bradley Johnson would not sign a new contract at Leeds, I was naturally disappointed. He was a real prospect in my eyes and that goal in the second leg of our F.A Cup tie against Arsenal earlier this year was just filthy-gorgeous. Kilkenny’s departure? I couldn’t care less being completely honest. Sometimes he was a great midfielder, other times either ran sideways constantly or just loved giving the ball to the opposition. The way he messed the club about, first promising to sign a new contact and then quickly buggering off to Bristol City, doesn’t put him in my good books either.

The fact is both were prominent figures in Leeds’ starting 11 in midfield and therefore have to be replaced. Our only other signing at this point apart from ‘keeper Rachubka is the hard-tackling veteran Michael Brown who played at Portsmouth for 2010-2011. He could also remedy the troubles we had in our defence whereby last seasons midfield contained players who were known more for their attacking displays thus leaving us exposed on the counter-attack.

Many people I have talked to have criticised Leeds recruiting Brown due to his age and as such is vulnerable to be on the sidelines for a vast amount of the season (especially when you consider his discipline record). Admittedly, he is no spring chicken, but neither is the former White, Lee Bowyer, who many believed and hoped would make a return to the club, who is the same age as Brown. The same can be said for Alan Smith) who has forever been plagued with injury in varying degrees after breaking his leg playing for Manchester United and played only 11 games last season for his current club Newcastle United. Both will have probably of demanded more in terms of salary and can no better guarantee being fit and able every week for us than Michael Brown; even if they were part of our glory-years before we were relegated in 2004.

In terms of my own recommendations for this section of the squad, I reckon another player needs to be added to match the midfield we had last season, if not to improve. The trial of ex-Aston Villa man Isaiah Osbourne and links with Coventry captain Sammy Clingan are promising pieces of news on that front.

Forwards

Players In: None Players Out: None

Max Gradel, who has been linked to a slew of clubs recently, including news of a rejected bid from West Ham United, has given us the most brilliant news all summer by planning to stay for next season. These are just words at them moment which count for nothing as our friend Kilkenny so kindly reminds us, yet I hope Gradel is rewarded with a contract extension because of it. At only 23, I believe him to be a real prospect for Leeds in the future if he stays.

Robert Snodgrass, who is Leeds United’s very own Lionel Messi when playing at his very best, has also had interest from Premier League clubs this pre-season. But attempts to acquire his services have yet again been made hard to get by the club quite thankfully. The reluctance to sell prized possessions at the club, something we have been criticised in the past for, seems to show the ambition that we have for next season; the need to progress higher as a club after waiting for so long to do it again.

The news of main strikers Becchio and Davide Somma long term injuries is unwelcome. This being the case, ample opportunity for Ross McCormack and Billy Paynter to step up to the plate, can be seen as a positive after being criticised for the lack of goals and pitch time they gave last season; which hopefully should lead to stronger goal-scoring force in the penalty box, when Luc and Somma return to fitness.

By being far the best asset at club at the moment are our attack is the one area of the team that I believe does not need to be changed in the slightest unless players are allowed to be moved on. At which point suitable replacements must be signed in a timely manner.

Conclusions

This is an exciting season for Leeds United, I cant wait to see what will come of it. My fingers are crossed the next time I write something similar to this next year, I will be talking about being in Premier League and what we have to do for survival. Many things may change from when I post this, and when the new season begins and may make everything I have said defunct. But that is the excitement of football, speculation sometimes counts for nothing in this sport and that is what makes it so brilliant to study.