Good Morning. It's Tuesday 12th March, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road Leeds hold massive bargaining chip in pursuit of top left back Media reports suggest that Luca Netz is a top target for Daniel Farke this Summer, but only if Leeds achieve promotion! The attacking left back applies his trade with Borussia Monchengladbach. He is regarded as one of the finest young defensive talents in the Bundesliga and he could prove to be a quality long-term prospect for the Whites, but his talents have not gone unnoticed. Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester Utd have all sent scouts to Borussia Park this season to watch the exciting 20yo in action, but when it comes time to negotiate, Leeds may have the upper hand! Borussia Monchengladbach have Max Wober on loan, and won't want to lose him. The 26yo has made a massive impact for Gerry Seoane's side this season. He currently sit's fourth in their 'Whoscored' ratings with a respectable 6.90. Come the Summer, Wober will still have three years left on his Leeds contract, and should they decide to sell him, will surely be able to command a fee greater than the £10m they splashed out fourteen months ago. please log in to view this image Was Piroe a bad buy When the 49ers splashed out £12m on Joel Piroe last Summer, many assumed the Dutchman would be the man to spearhead Leeds back to the top flight. Whilst his contributions haven't gone unnoticed, he has slipped down the pecking order, during the second half of the campaign. Eleven goals and two assists from twenty-five starts would get him into most Championship starting line ups, yet his lack of pace whilst leading the line gave Farke cause for concern. He tinkered with his forward line, swapping Rutter and Piroe around, but to no avail. Was Piroe a bad buy? No. Strikers carry a premium, and at 24, I'd be amazed if Leeds don't make a profit from him, if indeed, they decide to sell him this Summer. please log in to view this image Is Farke underrated? Phil Hay has penned an interesting article, asking the question whether Daniel Farke is underrated? Whilst Hay acknowledges that Farke had a pretty good squad to begin with, and was given the financial back-up that most Championship Managers could only dream of, what he is achieving this season is pretty special. You only need to go back to the Ridsdale era to realise that throwing money at a situation won't solve it. Every new face that arrived at Elland Road last Summer (apart from Darlow) has played their part this season, which on the balance of probability, and taking into account how players were queuing for the exit door is extraordinary! According to Hay "The best way to frame his [Farke] impact is to say that in years and years of covering this club, of seeing coaches sink in the wet sand of irrational expectation, unhinged ownership, inadequate resources or whatever else was sent to drown them, it is difficult to think of one who has made the Leeds job look so smooth." "It took time for him to get to this position, via bumps in August and either side of Christmas, but for weeks now he has been fairly free to stand on the touchline, hands in pockets, chin tucked into the neck of his black coat as the players do what he asks them to do." "Plainly, none of what is happening at Elland Road is wildly against the odds, even if last summer was more fraught than history is likely to record. Leeds found a way to give Farke the tools he needed, beyond the levels of the average Championship side, and he would have questions to answer if the play-offs were currently getting away from him." "But there is a difference between being given the tools and managing them properly. There is a difference between being given the tools and motivating them properly, coaxing players who are out of form back into it and keeping the show on the road. The perception at Leeds, going back years, is that they never do the second half of a season as well as the first. Since the turn of the year, they lead the form table by seven points." please log in to view this image
I think it was underrated how well he dealt with the loans and the Gnonto situations. It’s been a fun season but it will really be the biggest anti climax if it ultimately doesn’t end in promotion. Morning all by the way.
Good afternoon everyone It is quiet on here today, as it was yesterday, problem is were Leeds fans and usually got plenty to moan about, where at the moment we haven't
Lifted this from FB: "Leeds United in their all-white strip, with just the one 'Perching Owl' (1964 onwards), here being led out at Hillsborough by Norman Hunter. Eddie Gray says: "For me, the traditional all-white kit is the best. Originally, we had three owls on our shirts but, this was changed to just the one owl in the early 1960's and, looked like it had something to do with Sheffield Wednesday!" please log in to view this image Eddie further explains that although Don Revie gets the credit for the all-white kit, it was actually Jack Taylor (May 1st 1959 - March 1st 1961) who had first introduced it. Don Revie continued with it when he took charge in 1961. Eddie's words, NOT mine! please log in to view this image I don't know what year this game was played at Hillsborough but, by the 'One Owl' badge, it's definitely 1964 onwards. Here are the Hillsborough (only) results for those years and, clearly neither team was prepared to give much away! 1964/65 Sheff Wed 3-0 Leeds 1965/66 Sheff Wed 0-0 Leeds 1966/67 Sheff Wed 0-0 Leeds 1967/68 Sheff Wed 0-1 Leeds 1968/69 Sheff Wed 1-1 Leeds FA Cup 1968/69 Sheff Wed 0-0 Leeds" please log in to view this image
Lovely kit, can’t even find it on the sites that sell retro shirts and despite what the legend Eddie Gray says it now seems to be folklore that Don introduced it to make us believe we could be as successful as Real Madrid.
