It has just been revealed that Jozefzoon used Leeds Utd to get a better deal from Derby. Jozefzoon's agent phoned Leeds to say an offer was on the table from Derby, but he would much rather go to Leeds. Orta and Co jumped all over it, and stated negotiations with Brentford. A few hours later, Derby offered better terms to Jozefzoon and a medical was booked. His agent tells Leeds, his client chose the Rams as they had offered a 4 year deal as apposed to three that Leeds wanted to offer. It has now been disclosed that Derby signed him on a three year deal. Leeds have been used. I feel so violated.......
You would assume Orta would have had the experience to smell a rat and have been able to deal with an unscrupulous agent. **** knows how Orta managed to get so many deals over the line last season, he can’t even draw a line not alone get a player over one this time around.
Afternoon all. Apparently by getting rid of players that weren't good enough we are now worse off...according to some anyway. The more considered view is that now our new coach is working with a pared down squad there really is no hiding places for any remaining wage thieves that may still be lurking in the corners at TA. Additionally our youth are now getting a first class opportunity to show whether they have the potential to make the grade. It's been proven time and time again that signing older players to fill out the squad just blocks the pathway to the first team. Bielsa is 100% correct in identifying that a small tight knit squad works far better than having 30+ professional on the books which has often been the case in the last decade or so. This season for the first time the transfer window closes on 9th August but clubs outside the PL are still allowed to make loan signings until the end of August. Once the window shuts on the PL they can only sell/loan overseas or loan to the EFL. This means there will be opportunities to loan PL standard players who are either not named in their clubs squads or deemed surplus to requirements. Having funds to contribute to wages and perhaps more importantly connections at top clubs who wish to see their players well coached will be a significant advantage. Finally the belief that you need to sign all your players before/during pre season is bogus. All professional footballers are either resting after the WC or going through pre season at their respective clubs. When any club signs a quality player they make an immediate impact because they're better than what is already there. Pontus and Siaz showed on their debuts that they were too good for our League and we now need another 2/3 of a similar ilk which will elevate the team to the required level.
Another week passes by and still no sign of any real quality players coming in. Two friendlies against much lower opposition and regardless of how early in pre season it is or that most were u 23 players we should have won both games convincingly but we didn't. If there was another month to go before the Stoke game then fair enough but we are two, yes TWO weeks from the start of the season. WTF is going on with this club !!!!! We cannot possibly be adequately prepared with the squad we have got to expect a result against Stoke. I hate to be negative about the club I have supported for nearly 50 years but they really have to get their finger out now. I will hold off having a full breakdown until we have played Southend at the weekend but if we don't win convincingly then..... Not sure what really
Thought everyone knew drinking through straws gets you pissed quicker. Kind of does explain a lot though. You coming to the Ebor meeting ?
I to am disappointed that no quality signings appear to be on their way to elland rd,if we still had hecky in charge or someone similar i would be extremely worried by now,but in Bielsa we have a quality manager who i am sure knows what he is doing,so atm i have complete trust in him.Got a feeling everything's gonna be ok.I don't read anything into these pre season games,just the manager giving certain players the once over (who can do what or play well in a foreign position etc). I would have loved to see someone like Huth come in as CB,or vydra as striker etc,but it aint gonna happen.Once we have beaten stoke we will all breath a sigh of relief,as i am sure we will realise were now in safe hands.
True but not the most alarming thing to me. So we apparently have a worldwide scouting network and contacts list, and we have a list of targets for the transfer window. But The first we here that this guy is available is when his agent says he’s about to sign for derby. If he was a player of interest how come we didn’t know about his availability. If he wasn’t a player of interest, why did him suddenly becoming availble make us wet ourselves with excitement. Doesn’t sound like we’re doing great with our winger search... or any others for that matter. Fking amateur night.
First sentence is wrong if I'm included as 'some people'. I said the squad isn't any stronger and like you I'm hoping Bielsa is the wonderful coach you believe him to be
Now let me think...who was it that said we were worse off ? Nah just can't put my finger on his name as it's wrong to point the finger at individuals given we're all entitled to our opinion. It wasn't you though.
Leeds have reportedly made an approach to sign defender Diego Polenta, who is a free agent following his departure from Nacional last month. Polenta, the 26-year-old, is capable of playing anywhere along the back-line, though his natural position is at centre-back. Capped at various youth levels by Uruguay, he has also been called up by head coach of the senior side, Oscar Tabarez, though is yet to debut for La Celeste. Various clubs are said to be interested in securing Polenta now he is a free agent, with Ovacion reporting Leeds are one of the teams who have approached the versatile defender. Atlas, of Mexico, and Saudi Arabia’s Al-Ittihad are two other sides believed to have offered Polenta deals, though it is reported he has ‘not yet reached an agreement with any team’.
I guess you could say that's progress. Can you imagine a few years ago, an agent of a half decent player pretending he'd prefer to come to Leeds - and Derby believing it ? He'd have been laughed out of town !
