- 3 years ago
A longer version of our Q&A
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00:00 So, Lee, just on Leeds United and their transfer situation,
00:03 what's the latest you can tell us in ongoing,
00:05 obviously, the season approaching now as well?
00:08 Well, what we can definitely say is that's the end of the loan exits now,
00:11 because we obviously had a sixth one this week with Max Verbe going out.
00:14 Everybody expected that eventually.
00:15 I mean, it didn't to start with.
00:16 I mean, it was a bit of a bombshell when Daniel Farke said after the Monaco friendly
00:20 that the reason he wasn't playing was because of the contract or transfer situation,
00:23 as he put it. The next day, news broke that he was, like Munch and Gladbach
00:27 were looking at signing him basically on loan, but with a view to a permanent deal,
00:31 possible option. The deal's just gone through and it's just a loan.
00:35 So he's finally gone. So that's six out on loan now.
00:37 Robin Koch, Diego Llorente, Aronson, Christensen, Roca and Verbe.
00:41 And six is the maximum of international loans that you can get out.
00:45 So what it does mean is if there are any more exits from Leeds, of which,
00:48 you know, you've got to be honest, it could well be because they've got very,
00:50 very good players still there for a championship club,
00:53 then they will be getting some money in for that.
00:55 I don't think the 49ers are exactly struggling for cash.
00:58 I don't expect it to be one of these ones where it's like gung ho and they just go out
01:01 and spend wildly in the first window.
01:03 There's financial fair play to think about and things like that.
01:06 But nevertheless, it does mean if somebody is to go, then obviously it will,
01:09 you know, bring in revenue to the club. So we'll wait and see with that.
01:12 I mean, regards to the outgoings, that obviously, Charles,
01:15 just comes down to what offers there are on the table and who comes in for these players.
01:20 Obviously, talk of Tyler Adams having a relegation release clause of around about £20 million.
01:25 If that's the case, then that's obviously a bit of a blow.
01:27 But I mean, that's what happens really when you sign players, I suppose,
01:29 and, you know, to get them to the club.
01:31 So he'll obviously be in demand.
01:33 It remains to be seen what offers that come in for him.
01:35 Elan Melier has been talking about him all summer, obviously,
01:38 you know, but there hasn't been any offers for him as yet.
01:40 And obviously, Nantes is another big one as well.
01:43 You know, talk of Everton, but nothing concrete in that that we know of so far.
01:47 So that's one of the outs. On the ins, obviously,
01:49 they made a very, very good signing in Ethan Ampadu,
01:51 I think for £7 million or there or thereabouts from Chelsea,
01:54 given his age and his amazing international experience at his young age.
01:57 I think that's a very, very good signing.
01:59 He's looked good in pre-season. He's settled in straight away.
02:01 And I think if he's fit, he's just going to be like almost like a guaranteed starter,
02:05 you know, as a CDM. And ideally, you'd have him and Adams, wouldn't you?
02:08 But I mean, whether they can keep Adams remains to be seen.
02:11 Archie Gray's, you know, very young, but looks very good in pre-season.
02:14 And obviously, Kyle Darlow coming in as well.
02:16 So, I mean, again, for £400k, I think, although there are abouts,
02:19 you know, very, very good acquisition.
02:21 You know, will he be first choice?
02:23 That depends what happens, I suppose, with Melieh as well.
02:25 But they are still, will still be looking.
02:27 There's no way that can be it.
02:28 They need to keep, you know, keep strengthening all over the pitch, really.
02:31 I still think a centre midfielder is something they need to do.
02:34 A centre back as well. Left back, a lot of talk about Sam Byram.
02:37 Obviously, will he get a deal? And ultimately, up front, Charles,
02:40 because as we'll, you know, come on to and talk about as well in this,
02:43 you know, the strikers score goals and win games and, you know,
02:46 lead to going into the season with two of them injured, basically.
02:48 So, I think it'll be a very, very busy summer, you know,
02:51 remainder of the summer, if you can call it a summer,
02:53 until the end of the window.
02:55 And I suspect it'll go right down to the wire in terms of who they sign
02:58 and also, ultimately, who stays and who goes.
03:00 Yeah, just looking separately at Karl Darlow,
03:03 I mean, it's a very good statement signing for Leeds.
03:05 You know, plenty of experience at the top level as well.
03:08 You know, what are the sort of feelings around the Leeds camp
03:11 just on Karl Darlow himself?
03:13 I mean, it's quite a good signing, really.
03:15 I think so, yeah, most definitely.
03:17 I mean, a lot of other clubs were looking at him as well.
03:19 Obviously, Bournemouth were there.
03:20 I mean, there was others, Hull City, where he was on loan.
03:22 You know, he's a very well-respected goalkeeper.
03:24 You know, he's got decent experience under his belt,
03:27 both in the Premier League and the Championship.
03:29 You've got to remember, he's a Championship promotion winner as well.
03:31 Obviously, having gone up with Newcastle as champions,
03:34 which is what Leeds are ultimately looking to do.
03:35 So, he really does tick lots and lots of boxes, very experienced.
03:39 You know, he comes across, I think, as well, he could be quite vocal
03:41 and I'm not sure, like, you know, a captain or something,
03:43 but I suspect he'll be a decent influence in the dressing room,
03:46 someone who'll settle in quite quickly.
03:48 It was noticeable when they came in,
03:50 arrived at the Tyne Castle for the Hearts Friendly,
03:52 how he was walking in with Patrick Bamford
03:54 and they were locked in conversation.
03:56 Obviously, two ex-Forest team-mates,
03:57 you know, both come through the youth set-up there initially.
03:59 So, he's the sort of person who'll settle in very, very quickly, I think.
04:02 And I don't think there's any doubt about it whatsoever that,
04:05 you know, I know he's like, you know, early 30s now,
04:07 but at that price, you know, 400k there or thereabouts,
04:09 he's a decent signing and someone who could quite easily be first choice
04:12 and you'd be happy with him as first choice goalkeeper.
04:15 Whether that's the case or not remains to be seen.
04:17 Really, it just comes down to what happens at Villamelier.
04:20 If a club comes in with a decent bid for Rylan,
04:22 then, you know, I think it's going to be hard to see him stay in,
04:25 despite the fact that it actually does seem that
04:27 it looks like he's got a bit of a spring in his step this summer.
04:29 I mean, obviously, the end of last season was a disaster,
04:31 you know, for him personally,
04:32 getting dropped and missing the last four games.
04:35 Joe Robles came in and did a pretty good job,
04:37 but I mean, that wasn't the difference between, you know, staying up or not.
04:41 He's come back this summer.
04:42 He looks to be enjoying life under Daniel Farker.
04:44 Farker seems to rate him.
04:46 So, you know, it might well be that Ilhan stays.
04:48 And if he does, then that's going to be a battle royal, really, between those two.
04:51 And at the moment, you know, Ilhan's played the last three friendlies.
04:54 He's looked solid between the sticks and he goes into the season as number one.
04:57 There's no doubt about that.
04:58 But there's no doubt equally that Kyle Darlow looks a very, very good sign.
05:02 And so whatever happens, really, they should be well placed in goal.
05:05 But I suppose in an idealistic world, you keep them both.
05:08 Yeah, just touching on the strike situation,
05:11 obviously, it is maybe reaching panic stages now with Bamford and Rutter,
05:15 both injured.
05:17 The season starts this weekend, obviously, huge moments going into it.
05:21 And they need goals and they need a big striker up top to provide that.
05:24 What's the sort of latest you can tell us there?
05:27 Well, it was interesting that Daniel Farker was asked straight after the game
05:30 about the two injuries by Graeme Smith, our chief football writer,
05:33 who said basically to him, will those two injuries, you know,
05:36 alter your transfer business this summer in terms of what you do and what you need?
05:40 And essentially by that, you know, does that, you know, does it now mean, right,
05:43 we definitely need to go out and buy a striker?
05:45 His answer was basically, you know, pretty categoric no,
05:48 because he didn't think either of the injuries were serious as in like,
05:51 you know, long, long term, not like an ACL, I think it was what he said.
05:55 And really, we'll just have to wait and see.
05:58 So that's the answer from, you know, from the boss.
06:00 But my feeling is, is that they do need to get another striker.
06:03 And even if both of those are back very, very quickly, as in, you know,
06:07 within days or weeks, let's say, I still feel personally that they need another striker
06:11 because, you know, it's pretty simple.
06:13 Goals win your games.
06:14 Goals win your games and goals take you up.
06:16 And you look at the two times that Norwich went up under Daniel Farker,
06:19 both two times they scored an abundance of goals.
06:21 I think Pukki got 29 one season and 26 in the other.
06:24 You know, are Bamford and Routier going to do that?
06:26 I mean, you can't say no.
06:28 I mean, obviously Bamford scored, I think it was 18 when Leeds went up.
06:31 Routier's got an abundance of promise, obviously he's young.
06:33 But, you know, just getting somebody else in is a much better bet, really,
06:38 like in terms of, because it could be the difference,
06:40 but ultimately that was, you know, the amount of promotion and not.
06:42 It's not easy, like good strikers don't grow on trees.
06:45 They're not cheap, obviously.
06:46 You know, there's always a bit of a premium for a player that scores goals.
06:49 But yeah, that's something I think they've got to be looking at.
06:51 There's still plenty of time in the window, as I say, you know, for them to do that.
06:55 But in terms of the severity of them, I just think you just have to wait and see.
06:58 I mean, he said, Daniel said himself after the game,
07:00 I have to wait and see this week.
07:02 As I say, his gut instinct was that neither was serious.
07:05 I think he was pretty sure about that.
07:06 But he did sort of say that, you know, both of them could have implications on this weekend,
07:11 as in it almost felt a little bit like they'd both be out this weekend, really.
07:14 And if that's the case, they are very, very short, Charles, in that area,
07:18 because obviously normally you'd have Rodrigo in the piece,
07:20 but he's obviously moved on now to Ariane, so he's not there.
07:24 So you had a situation where you finished the final pre-season friendly
07:26 with a 19-year-old in Mateo Joseph playing the number nine role.
07:29 I mean, he's a very good young player and he's got a huge amount of promise.
07:33 But I mean, to say you're going to throw him in straight away for the first game of the season
07:37 would be a big ass, not to say he couldn't do it.
07:39 But he's obviously more one for the future.
07:41 So there's other things they could do as well.
07:42 I mean, Nanto could play up front.
07:44 He's not really a number nine, though, is he?
07:46 You know, Sinisterra could probably go there.
07:48 There's ways round it.
07:50 Harrison could do if he was fit, but he's not.
07:52 But, you know, the bottom line is, is there are, you know,
07:54 it does look a problem at the moment and it's something they need to do.
07:56 I think even if and when both of those are fit.
08:01 And just looking at Daniel Farker, obviously we've touched on the fact that he's got the know-how
08:05 to get clubs up from the Championship, Leeds' second favourites to win the league.
08:11 I mean, that's quite a good sort of thing to have going into the season.
08:16 Leeds fans can sort of take that with a bit of positivity.
08:20 You know, what's your sort of take on that?
08:22 The second favourites to win the league.
08:23 That's quite a nice thing to hear, really.
08:26 I guess it is, yeah.
08:27 But I just think it's a complete guessing game, really.
08:29 And I think that, Mark, it's basically been done on the fact that, I mean,
08:32 the first three favourites of the three teams have come down,
08:35 which is probably understandable.
08:36 Obviously Leicester are fairly clear market leaders, really, around about the 4-1 mark.
08:40 Leeds do seem to be getting a bit shorter lately.
08:41 Sort of getting down to more towards 5-1 with some firms.
08:45 And then Southampton next.
08:46 And they're the three teams that have come down.
08:47 They're the three teams that have come down with good players.
08:49 They're the three teams that have come down with parachute payments.
08:51 You know, the big clubs in their own right.
08:53 Obviously Leeds are massive.
08:54 So, I mean, you know, it all makes sense, really.
08:56 But quite whether that ends up being justified or not, I mean, it's just anyone's guess, isn't it?
09:01 I mean, you couldn't really go up to somebody and say, you know,
09:03 like Leeds are a great bet at second favourites.
09:05 I mean, because we don't even know what team they're going to have
09:07 by the time the transfer window finishes.
09:09 So very, very hard to say.
09:11 What you would say is, I think they've got the ingredients there to do it,
09:14 to certainly finish top two or even be winners.
09:16 There's definitely, you know, the potential there.
09:18 They've got the right manager in there.
09:20 As you say, you've alluded to it yourself,
09:21 they've got someone in who's steered Norwich to two championships, going up in style.
09:25 So I definitely think they've got the right manager.
09:27 And you can tell the nice football they're trying to play,
09:29 I don't have any doubts on that score whatsoever.
09:32 The doubts I would have really are on probably squad strength and depth,
09:36 although that depends really on what they keep.
09:38 If they keep everybody they've got now, then, you know,
09:40 injuries aside, they should be fine.
09:42 But the other thing is, you know, the other positions and especially up front.
09:45 Goals is the one thing that concerns me a little bit with this team.
09:48 They've looked quite good in pre-season, especially the last two games.
09:51 But I mean, even with, obviously notwithstanding the fact that both
09:54 Routier and Bamford eventually went off, they just missed an abundance of chances.
09:58 And that has been a theme with this Leeds team over the last sort of three,
10:01 four, five seasons, even under Marcelo Bielsa, it was the case.
10:04 The difference under Marcelo Bielsa was Leeds created so many chances
10:08 that eventually they were going to score a few.
10:09 You know, they were creating 20, 25, sometimes 30 chances a game.
10:12 And I think they'll create a lot under Daniel Farke,
10:14 but whether they create quite that many, I don't think that'll be the case.
10:17 But, you know, so I think goals can make the difference.
10:19 But yeah, I think probably second favourites is probably roundabout, right?
10:23 You could argue maybe there should be favourites,
10:25 but Leicester are bound to be there, they're about.
10:27 It's got a good manager in Nenzo Maresca, same with Southampton and Russell Martin.
10:30 And the thing I look at as well is you can't discount the teams,
10:34 obviously, that were already there from last season,
10:35 you know, that go in with like a real solid base,
10:37 like your Middlesbrough and Sunderlands and teams like that.
10:40 And there's bound to be a surprise package.
10:41 A lot of Ipswich are quite high up in the betting.
10:43 Obviously, it went up very, you know, in good style from League Two,
10:46 sorry, from League One.
10:48 So, you know, it's a guessing game, really.
10:51 We just hope that they're right with second favourites,
10:53 because whether it's first or second, every Leeds fan will take that.
10:56 So, Lee, just look ahead to the first game of the season,
10:59 obviously, Cardiff at home, a massive, massive chance to start
11:03 in the right sort of frame of mind in this new sort of Leeds set-up.
11:07 They've got to get it right and they've really sort of got to hit the ground running.
11:10 As we've mentioned, the competitiveness in the Championship next season
11:13 is going to be absolutely huge.
11:15 So that sort of good start is really key.
11:18 It's absolutely key, yeah.
11:19 And you've got to be honest, you don't take any game lightly in the Championship at all.
11:23 And Leeds United know all too well about that,
11:25 how long it took them to get out of the division initially.
11:27 And also, when they eventually went up, it wasn't easy.
11:29 Every game was hard because everybody sees them as a scout.
11:32 But on paper, it looks like they've got a good start to the season.
11:35 I mean, as I say, you don't belittle Cardiff whatsoever.
11:38 And there's a big danger here to look at it and think,
11:40 'Leeds v Cardiff at Ellen Road. Cardiff finished 21st last season.'
11:44 You know, like, basically, it should be an absolute banker bet and stuff.
11:46 And a lot of people will think that, and the bookies do too.
11:49 I mean, Leeds are about two to five, which is pretty heavy odds on, really,
11:52 for a first game of the season.
11:55 But I mean, saying that, I mean, they've made some decent signings this summer.
11:58 Obviously, Aaron Ramsey coming in, Karl and Grant, people like that.
12:01 And they'll go there almost, I suppose, like, sort of like, not as a free hit,
12:05 but they'll go there knowing that, like, everybody will expect Leeds to roll them over and stuff.
12:08 And they've got to be very, very wary of that.
12:10 So by no means, it's a gimme.
12:12 But you're totally right.
12:13 They've got to start the season well.
12:15 Daniel Farker, when he came in, it was quite interesting.
12:17 He said that, I think, at the start of the season,
12:19 I think he said it'll be bumpy or there'll be bumps in the road or something along those lines.
12:23 And I think that's right because, you know, obviously, the relegated side,
12:26 they've got to bounce back from relegation.
12:27 There's still that hangover-ish kind of thing, I suppose, still on the club in terms of players going out on loan.
12:32 And ultimately, there'll be more business this summer, both ins and outs.
12:34 So I think that's right to expect that.
12:36 But also what you'd say is they have got the fixtures there to make a good start, even for allowing for that.
12:40 If you picked out a fixture to start with, you know, no disrespect,
12:43 but you'd want to be at home and you'd want to be playing a team that finished in the lower reaches last season.
12:48 It's a good start that it looks like.
12:49 It shows we're in the Cup midweek.
12:50 Birmingham away after that.
12:52 Again, you know, I think they'll be better this season, Birmingham.
12:54 But it does look like a good, you know, on paper, a good start to the season for Leeds.
12:58 But you're totally right.
12:59 That's on paper.
13:00 They've got to go and make the most of it.
13:01 They've got to get out there on Sunday, straight away, you know, high tempo, make a fast start, get the crowd,
13:06 you know, pumping.
13:07 There will be anyway and stuff and get an early goal or something.
13:09 And, you know, let's just hope this is a bit like, remember the Stoke City game at home under Marcelo Bielsa
13:14 when it was the start of a glorious new era.
13:15 Let's hope it's the same as that.
13:16 I'm not saying it's going to be like Leeds under Bielsa or under Daniel Farke.
13:19 I mean, that would be a big stretch to say that, but hopefully it will be, you know, might get reasonably close to it if everything clicks.
13:25 It's a good start to the season on paper.
13:26 Now they've got to put it into place.
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