It hurts to look at this picture. 'Max Gradel in green', the triumphant French caption on AS St. Etienne's website announces. 'Winamax Poker', reads the main sponsor on their shirt. They've certainly won themselves a Max here. A good one at that. please log in to view this image Last season, the little Ivorian scored 18 times for the Whites. He was our top-scoring midfielder, joint top midfield assistant, the Fans' Player of the Season and Players' Player of the Season. He was called up by the Ivory Coast for the first time. He was, in short, unstoppable. His game was characterized by pacy runs, dribbling his way round any defender who dared to stand in his way, and then unleashing a shot, which would be well on target the majority of the time. I was there when Max made his first appearance in a white shirt, when he turned the game against Norwich City and looked to join Jermaine Beckford in providing a spark of brilliance in a team of functional, third division players. Leeds fans have always looked to the exotic to provide that entertainment, whether it be Albert Johanneson's skill in the dark days of the early 60s, Tony Yeboah's memorable goals in the bland mid 90s or Lucas Radebe's crunching tackles and unswerving commitment in the more recent past. please log in to view this image Gradel's debut against Norwich, dazzling the fans with his pace, skill and shiny boots. Gradel was continuing that tradition, adding a hint of flavour to proceedings. I was there when we mauled QPR at Elland Road and all four sides of the ground chanted their pride with twirling garments and our famous old song of European injustice. The performance was in no small part down to Gradel's humiliation of Neil Warnock's defence - supposedly the most dependable in the Second Division. It was the day when the spotlight fell both on Gradel and on second-placed Leeds United, both of whom were touted as Premiership prospects in the near future. The main criticisms of Max consist almost entirely of The Bristol Rovers Affair. Stupidly, Gradel got himself sent off and ended up in an unsightly tussle with temporary captain Jermaine Beckford. It was idiotic and could have cost Leeds badly. But the fact is that it didn't. And in the months since that failure to inhibit the red mist, I can't recall one instance of Gradel's purported bad temperament costing (or even threatening to cost) United. His attitude improved vastly since then. It seems that some Leeds fans' coping strategy for the departure of this most vital of players has been a series of attacks on Gradel. He has been branded as unwilling to stay at Leeds and therefore unfit to wear the shirt. I find this view ridiculous. Gradel openly stated in early August that he wanted a contract extension and would have been delighted to stay, but plainly one was never made. Is that the mark of a player who didn't - doesn't - want to be a Leeds player? I can think of no reasonable motive for why anyone would come out with such a statement, knowing full well of the interest in them by top-flight clubs, unless it was heartfelt. please log in to view this image Gradel slots home in the 2-0 win against Division Two Champions QPR. Such negligence from the club was an insult to a player of Gradel's ability and he had every right to lodge a disgruntled transfer request after being so clearly undervalued. The only persons I believe this affair reflects badly on are the Leeds United board whose moronic policy of leaving contract negotiations as late as possible has yet again been to the detriment of Simon Grayson's squad. The only logical explanation for Gradel's sudden change of heart between wanting to stay in early August and wanting to leave in late August (with contract negotiations not so much as opened) is that he has been mistreated. Another criticism has been that Max was a one season wonder. This completely overlooks the contribution he made to our promotion season of 09-10 (six goals and four assists in 11 starts), as well as that many Leicester fans would have been happy to keep him before then. Indeed the main factor for his arrival at Leeds was a difference in personalities and opinion with Nigel Pearson over defensive responsibilities. No-one doubted his ability as an attacking player. Ironic, then, that Max voluntarily burdened himself with the same defensive dirty work throughout the whole of last season, mopping up the mess left by opposition wingers when the frustrating George McCartney was incapable of performing that simple task. Proof if ever it were needed that Max was committed to the welfare of the whole Leeds United squad, not just that of his own career. please log in to view this image Max Gradel clashes with Bristol Rovers' Daniel Jones, culminating in a sending-off which still rankles with Leeds fans to this day. But enough of this moping. The question now is how much he will be missed. Where will those 18 goals and seven assists come from this season? Will Ramon Nunez be capable of replacing Max on the wing even though he's said his preferred position is in support of the striker? Will El Principito provide that aforementioned dash of exotic flair as well as contributing defensively to cover the ever-woeful left-back position? Will Lloyd Sam make the most of this opening? Will United make a rare foray into the permanent transfer window or will it be loanees again who are relied upon to paper over the cracks in the squad? One thing's for sure: these questions are not welcome ones. United should have kept Gradel despite the transfer request and guaranteed a top-rate performer on that left flank - even if only for a season. They did the same with Beckford and they could (should) have done the same here. Right now, the Whites are teetering on the brink of mediocrity or worse if they fail to replace Max's hefty contribution to the team. It's hardly as if the defence is looking more assured this season, again meaning that the 'score one more than you' approach seems to be the only hope for Leeds' slim promotion prospects. In summary: selling Gradel has worsened an already worrying situation at Elland Road. Farewell, 'Mad' Max Gradel. How much will you be missed at Leeds? Inestimably. I wish you all the best in your future pursuits.
