View attachment 302515 Good Morning. It's Friday 22nd December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Dortmund eyeing Gray capture Borussia Dortmund are plotting an audacious move to steal Archie Gray away from Elland Road. According to ESPN, Gray is one of three teenagers that the Bundesliga giants want to bring to the Signal Iduna Park Stadium in 2024 (along with PSG midfielder Senny Mayulu and Ajax defender Jorrel Hato). For someone so young, Gray has exceeded expectations this term. Although he's been a part of the first team plans for the last few seasons, he's barely kicked a ball for the starting XI, though to be fair, he is more than making up for it now. It's not yet Christmas, but Archie has already racked up over 2200 minutes of game time from all competitions. He tops most tackles made this season (for Leeds), and ranks second for blocked passes. Due to his age, Gray was only able to pen a two and a half year deal, (signed days after his 17th Birthday back in March). If Dortmund think the length of his contract will make it easier to negotiate a deal for him, they'll be sadly disappointed. A left back and No 10 tops Leeds Christmas list Phil Hay, the former Chief Football writer for the YEP has suggested that Leeds should invest in a new left back, and No10 Leeds could do with Daniel Farke has already predicted that Leeds will be reserved in January and their position in Nothing is done without Farke having the final say, however, which was how he insisted it had to be when he took the job as first-team manager in July. Part of the reason he asked for the title of manager specifically was that he didn’t want to be a head coach who had players or tactical structures hoisted upon him. This is very much his squad and his plan. Leeds could do with an extra left-back. Farke said he had been thinking of bringing one in even before Sam Byram and Junior Firpo got injured, but those absences must be crystallising his thinking. Byram has been excellent but his injury issues mean Leeds cannot lean on him too much or expect him to be unbreakable. Firpo has hardly been available and his performances rarely erase doubts about his game and suitability. Left-back aside, No 10 would appear to be the position where Farke’s choice is slimmest. If he is not going with the Rutter-Joel Piroe combination up front, it is not clear who is best suited to that role — Farke has players who could have a go, but he does not have many obvious specialists.
Good old Phil Hay, 2 weeks ago Leeds not signing anyone, last week nobody is leaving the club in January. This week Bate and Hjelde going and discussions on Cresswell and Gelhardt who are both wanted elsewhere. Yesterday Leeds looking for a new LB and 10. Now I know Phil is only trying to keep his job but he really doesn’t have insider knowledge so he makes shyt up at times. But journalism is a dying art……
As bad as he is Doc, without him were stuck with rubbish made up by 18 year old kids from hundreds of "sources" on clickbait. To be honest really only bother with what the Fabrizio lad has to say and Matt of course Fabrizio's is more when deals are done rather than speculation
With my Phil Hay hat on: there’s a good chance we will be moving some fringe players out next month and we might bring a couple of loan players in……
On the Archie Gray front, Id have to be honest and if we don't get at least another 18 months out of him, I think Id be pretty much done with football. If a club can't keep homegrown quality for a couple of years it'd be fairly demoralising
Eire the Phil Hay thing is part of the problem here mate as he could write a great story on this if he bothered to get off his ass.Hayden Evan's was Gary Speeds best mate and still close to his mother and father and wife and kids. He was also his agent and David Batty’s too as well as other Leeds players like Kelly, Smith etc. he has also been involved in loads and loads of up and coming Leeds players and Archie is just the latest, but also his younger brother Harry and then we have Cresswell and Cresswells younger brother another academy product. Gray and Cresswells fathers are also part of Evan’s agency and obviously both are also ex Leeds players. He could do some journalism here or he could make some shyt up
But what is the point. A player could say today he’s staying and in two days his heads turned. It’s all bullshit now. Nonsense of extending contracts and fans wetting themselves with excitement. Couple of weeks later they’re on their bikes
We have fans happy to see our players progress elsewhere and treat Leeds like a puppy farm. I wont ever be in that frame of mind
So you want our best players to remain at the club but then want the club to remain in the Championship. It doesn't add up.
I think Eire means he wants them all to be brilliant so we can sell and get major profits. I agree with him
Eire needs to be careful what he wishes for. If we keep Archie for a couple of years then we've prolly gone up. I'd like to think he'd give us next year even if we failed this year.
They wouldn't have jumped ship if we had qualified for the CL. It's all about levels. Archie is probably Premier League standard already but will be in the next 18 months if he carries on as he is. If we don't provide PL football then I think its right that he moves up the ladder and performs as high as he can. Kalvin and Raphinha were and are better players than a relegation threatened club. They deserved Champions League football and we didn't provide it.
Agree, but I'm forever hopeful. I hope we at least keep Archie until his wee brother breaks into the first team - if he's as good as we're led to believe! Then again, if he's that good, would like to see both of them in the first team - in the PL, of course! The PL is the only way we'd keep Archie, & you couldn't fault the lad if he wanted to take his special talents to a higher level than the Championship.
Turned up on FB. You had to love big Jack. Made me smile like a Cheshire cat .... please log in to view this image
