I have to laugh at the few who seem to think Gradel wanted to leave. Just like Beckford? Oh please!! Beckford was God at Elland Road, and Gradel had become a fans' favourite. Why leave? Gradel never said he wanted to go. In fact, he stated during pre-season that he was happy playing for a big club like Leeds, and he was keen to play his part to get us into the Prem. Gradel saw his career here at Elland Road. Massive club, adoring fans, a breakthrough season that saw him become arguably one of the top players outside the Prem and recognition on the International stage. Not bad. Well, just one thing. He was playing for a chairman who only saw one thing in Gradel - MONEY. One year left on his contract, and no doubt he wasn't offered a new one, and probably told Leeds wouldn't match his ambition anyway. Bates would probably have made it clear to Gradel that if he wanted the money his talent deserved he would have to move on. Oh, and hand in a transfer request while you're about it young man. Why is it that when we sell a player he always "wanted to leave"? Schmeichel made it public that he never wanted to go, but he had no choice as Leeds didn't want to keep him, and sold him to ..... a ****ing RIVAL club!! Oh, so Gradel goes to France because Leeds don't want him at a rival? Bullshit!! Gradel goes to France because that was the best offer. As for the transfer request, this is just a bit of legal stuff to avoid having to pay the player a slice of the transfer fee. Gradel would have been told that he can only go to another club and earn bigger wages if he gave up his percentage of the fee. End of!! That then allows Bates to spin the story in his favour, and make Gradel look like a mercenary. **** off Bates, I'm not that thick. And if Gradel says he moved to France because of blah, blah, blah, well he has to so that his new club's supporters will welcome him with open arms. It is genuinely disgraceful what Ken Bates is doing to our club. He is quick to call us morons when we complain in the slightest. He degraded the supporters who dared to protest outside the ground as "mindless morons" and "only 300 or so idiots". Really? Only 300? Wait until it's 30,000 Mr Bates. It is also disgraceful how he has managed to use Leeds legends as part of his spin machine. Lorimer saying that Gradel would go last Friday made it clear what Bates was playing at, and to then try and justify the sale as a "we can't withstand any decent money" is complete and utter tripe. Bates just doesn't want to pay his players what they deserve. Is a move to St Etienne really a step up for Gradel? Is it going to help him grow and develop? Has he blown his chance to play in the Prem? Come on, since when has French football been that attractive for players against the opportunity to play in the Prem? The French Ligue 1 is on a par with the Championship at best. The sooner Bates leaves the better...and that idiot Ben Fry needs to go with him. No more Ken Bates, no more.
So Gradel didn't want to leave, but was told he could only leave if he handed in a transfer request, which he did? have you actually read this back?
I do believe Gradel put a transfer request in. But only because there was either no new deal offerered, or what was offered was derisory. If that is the case then Bates is playing a dangerous game. If his aim was to force him out and gain some more hotel money then he's played a blinder. Not that I agree. But if he just simply won't pay the going rate in the championship then that is a difficult situation for any coach to work in.
hahaha thats a good point. If he didnt want to leave, he wouldnt have put in a transfer request regardless of whether someone told him to do so. But its not that thats the funniest part, its all these assumptions that are made and then people talk about it as if its fact
"But its not that thats the funniest part, its all these assumptions that are made and then people talk about it as if its fact" It's the mystery SOURCE again, he's having a busy night.
Look, you misunderstand. Gradel told no new deal/crap new deal, but we will sell you if someone offers you better wages....but then you have to hand in a transfer request so we keep your percentage of the transfer fee. So Maxie...if you want to earn more money, you hand in a transfer request. We know you'd rather stay, but we won't pay you...so your call.
the thing is i wouldnt pay anyone that is in our squad 25k a week. They just aint worth it. If this is what he wanted which they are surely enough sources to suggest this to be true then selling him is the right thing to do, i think it was bold to sell him
Billy Statue, where do you get your inside information? Max Gradel handed in histransfer request because he wanted to return to France where he was raised. There was no request for a move until he heard there was intrest from the country he was raised in. Unfortunately both his parents had died leaving a young family who Max took it upon himself to look after, and as the siblings live in that country this was his opportunity to be closer to them. That was the real reason and I wish him all the luck for the future.
You're wasting your time mate. Most here choose to believe the spin from Elland Road and Bates, end of
I'm sorry, but how do you know this? Yes, he has family there etc. but there has been nothing from him, his agent or the club suggesting he wanted to return to France. Infact there was pretty much the opposite from Gradel. The things we know for certain are: Gradel handed in a transfer request (the club's offical website have said this, and they cannot lie about this stuff, it's different from Bates' programme notes) and Gradel was never offered a new contract (we know this because he said himself and the club never suggested otherwise). A lot of stuff is going around about his 'wage demands' but they were all rumours. And even if he did ask for these '25k' a week wages, that's what negiotations are for. This is a 23 year old, who expressed his desire to stay at Leeds, is easily one of the best players outside the Premier League, skillfull, direct, fast, hardworking but the club never offered him a contract. The club never did that because they always intended to sell him. They'd rather the money now, than pay our top players top wages. We make a profit year on year. Whatever the offical finances say about us making only a small profit after player sales, that's bullshit. We made a turnover of over £25million last financial year. That's the biggest outside the Prem. We pay the 5th highest season tickets, mercandise etc. etc. This club can afford to keep our best players on these wages. Financially (and I mean purely on the club itself, not the owners personal wealth) we are the strongest outside the Prem, but cannot afford to keep our best players. Pathetic.
Billy great article and well put. All those who want to think that Max wanted to move need to get a reality check. have a look at why Scott Parker handed in a transfer request yesterday as well. West Ham wanted at least £8m for Parker but the best offer they got was £6m. The only way a deal can get done is if the player puts in a request which means he doesn't get his %, this moves the fee nearer to what the club want, plus they get his wages off the books.
Billy , Great article,you know my thoughts on the situation at Leeds , i have been wound up all summer by it !! so much so i stopped posting to keep the Blood Pressure down !! no matter how many times we put up a point of view ( of which we are entitled to ) we get lambasted from certain quarters for being negative !!! only to be accused of " i told you so " when things turn out as predicted , or " how wrong you were !" when results go the right way !! .......... What's the point huh !!! . Get ready for other transfer rumours / Speculation in & out etc ...... but it wont be the boards fault !!! ALWAYS the players !!!
Towards the end Gradel was apparently "pushing to leave". Now can people please stop with this "he wanted to stay" bollocks.
Gradel would have signed a new contract months back had he been offered one. He was pushed into a corner where he had no choice but ask to leave and as Billy rightly pointed out, it is common practice for clubs to do this as it saves them paying a percentage to the player. If Bates had sold Gradel probably when he wanted to prior to pre-season for 4 million he would have had to give a chunk to Max, maybe 10%. Refusing to even talk to the player and place an offer on the table he forces him into a corner where Max is given no choice but to ask for a transfer. Let us remember why we sold Kasper - Good business and enables us to strengthen an area that let us down last season and it enables us to hang on to the likes of Gradel, Snodgrass and Becchio. Well it is lies, lies and lies. 1) We only spent £200k of the reported 1.4 million 2) It hasn't strengthened the defence we still leak goals and we brought in a replacement keeper and defender on loan 3) We haven't kept Gradel
True Ristac ..... but one thing you forgot mate !!! We have got a HOTEL !!!!!!!!!! in fact we can start calling it Crossroads !!!
He wanted £25k, that's why he wasn't offered a contract. It's never been Bates' practice in the past to try to sell players, in fact the criticism is that he lets them run contracts down.
“Since I came to Leeds, I’ve always said that I want to be at this club. My contract finishes at the end of this season and I’ve been waiting for another contract but I haven’t been offered one yet. I don’t know what’s happening and I’ll wait and see. “My wish was to do it as early as possible but it’s not down to me, it’s down to the club. I can’t sign a deal if there isn’t any deal to sign. But really, all I want to do is concentrate on football and play football. “There’ll be higher expectations of me but I love pressure and it makes me play better. My aim would be to score more than 18 goals this season.”
