Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas. Here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Trio to fight it out over StruijkMounting Interest from Brighton, Wolves, and Tottenham Hotspur in Pascal Struijk are raising significant questions regarding Leeds top flight aspirations, as further claims of a January exit get banded about!
The 25 year old, rated the top centre back in the Championship this season (with Rodon 3rd and Wober 9th) is being linked with a £25m move away from Elland Road next month. Whilst Leeds rejected offers from the continent last Summer, they may now feel with Ethan Ampadu back, and Wober as back-up, they are able to cash in on the former Ajax starlet.
Not breaking up Tanaka/Rothwell partnership would be an easy option, and with Ilea Gruev due back early next year, they may still have (just about) enough cover in midfield as long as they utilise the loan system properly.
You'll remember during Leeds pre-season tour of Germany that Crysencio Summerville picked up an imaginary injury, days prior to his £26m (plus add-ons) move to West Ham. I'm wondering whether we'll see Pascal Struijk take the field again for the mighty Whites?
An apology at lastLeeds United have finally received a formal apology from the PGMOL for the blatant blunder made during Leeds 1-1 draw at Deepdale. The incident in question saw Preston captain Ben Whiteman escape a second yellow card, and subsequent dismissal, despite a reckless challenge on Jayden Bogle. While the apology acknowledges referee John Busby's failure to correctly apply the laws of the game, the nine-day delay in issuing this acknowledgement raises serious questions about the PGMOL's responsiveness.
The consensus at the time, and seemingly now confirmed by the governing body, was that Whiteman's challenge warranted a red card, leaving Leeds playing against eleven men when they should have had a numerical advantage. The tardiness of the apology is further underscored by the opinion of former PGMOL chief Keith Hackett, who argues such matters should be addressed within a 24-hour timeframe, highlighting the unacceptable lag in accountability.
It was evident during the match and replays played within hours that the referee had made an error of judgment which should have seen a player receive a second yellow followed by red. In these standout situations, an apology should be issued before the close of play the following day.
When I was boss of the PGMOL, either myself or one of my coaches would visit the club and discuss with the manager and coaching staff the incident in detail. [We’d talk about] how the error was made and the course of action that has been taken with the referee and the remaining group of referees. Operational advice to avoid similar errors in the future is given to the team of officials who made the error.
