Leeds Banter Archive October 17 2011

17 Oct 2011 19:42:31
Just read an interview with Howson about his contract. Basically he says keep proving your promotion contenders or i'm off.
Fine, I can understand that you want to further your career and play in the Prem league. Everyone has the right to achieve the best for themselves but until you make up your mind we'll have Lonergan or Clayton captain the side thank you very much.
The captain should be 100% behind the team/club.

He'd better be quick or Bates will transfer list him like he did Beckford in Jan if he won't sign. Ken will want a bit of cash this time

I agree to a certain extent with your post. However, the flip side could be that he will put even more effort in to get the side promoted so he doesnt have to leave. I understand when he says he will have to think about his career, but I reckon Leeds would be the only Prem team he would play for, if we got there.

17 Oct 2011 16:05:43
Anyone know how Gradel is doing at his new club?

6 games and no goals.

He is most of the time on the bench

Very good player ,But watt he did not realise was we set our team up to get the best out off him ,I know its only early but we look to have a much better shape .No way could we have played A White at left back whith max in a 4 4 2 . We would have got murdered whith max cutting inside . We remind me a bit off Norwich last year ,playing whith one a genuine front tow partnership up top,pressing apponents and putting them under pressure early in There half .still early though

Bet you anything come March/April when we are top of the league we will hear from Max in an interview saying he never wanted to leave and wants to team up with the boys again in the Premiership.

17 Oct 2011 11:54:13
Not looking especially encouraging re Howson signing a new deal at the minute. Ambiguous replies and statements to the effect that if Leeds keep winning ''the contract will take care of itself ''. Also stated that for now he will '' put it to the back'' of his mind. Sounds like he is going to suck it and see, and won't be committing soon. Could turn into another saga. Why didn't we wrap this one up and re-sign him after Christmas last year??

Is it right that he can't leave on a bowman due to being a youth development player and being under 25?

"Why didn't we wrap this one up and re-sign him after Christmas last year?"

It's called not being able to afford PL wages.

I think he can leave on a Bosman, though not 100%. The whole point in asking why we didn't re-sign him last year was that a) he wouldn't have wanted Prem wages at that stage i don't think b) It would have avoided uncertainty one way or the other c) the cost of replacing a player such as Howson would cost more than renewing his contract at a reasonable stage. Other clubs renew early, so should we.

A talented footballer "wouldn't have wanted Prem wages"....now that would be a first! If BJ and his agent wanted it Howson will be thinking the same as Jonny is the better player. Footballers are greedy. This one is on Bates though. There always comes a time when you have to do something you can't afford for the good of the club. Keeping our home bred club captain is important. He is becoming a better player and not going missing as much anymore. If wage cap is 15, it needs to go up to 20 for Howson otherwise he will go.

Truth of the matter is, Leeds have such a bad credit rating we can't get the substantial loans required to operate over budget. Jonny will have to like it or lump it, as my Mam would say.

Club does need some measured, affordable, realistic level of investment in order to acheive. That applies to all sorts of businesses. It is true that investing is no guarentee of success, but it gives you a chance. As long as the investment is affordable and realistic, we HAVE to keep players like Johnny if at all possible. To lose them on a free under the guise of unnaffordable wages is in my view counter-productive and false economy. It slows down any possible promotion- and the income that brings, and sets back team building and consistency. It is also not that easy, even with money,to replace players like Johhny. Especially a local ho cares about the club.

Re the post about him being under 25, it's under 23 that you get compensation, Johnson turned 24 in the april before he left

In fairness to the lad, we finished last season poorly, started this season poorly, lost some key players from the team and didn't appear to strengthen much. The most loyal fans of the club were asking what was going on, so why wouldn't he? We're settling down now, have an excellent strike force and are the form team in the league. Give him time. He'll sign eventually - if its right for him. And if it's not right for him, its probably not right for us either.

17 Oct 2011 11:02:58
Hopefully Bates will tie all our young players to improved contracts and also sign Keogh & O'Dea on frees- Simon has put together a decent side on a shoestring budget and this is with some decent players walking for free- something we need to avoid next summer- in fairness, Johnson was keen to stay and is cutting it in the premiership!

I like Keogh, he has a great work rate and O'dea is a no nonsense centre half but I think we could a better centre half in. Don't get me wrong, for free I would jump at it as he would be a great squad plyer. Lets get rid of the dead wood, Obrian, Bromby and dare I say it after 2 clean sheets, connolly as he is doing ok but there are better in league 1 than him!
MOT
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