The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Monday 5th December)

Good Morning. It's Monday 5th December, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road


Bamford undergoes surgery

Patrick Bamford has been left out of the Leeds United training camp that travelled to Spain, and has instead made his way to Munich where he has undergone surgery on his troublesome groin. The injury plagued striker will be out of action for a further fortnight as long as everything goes to plan.

Bamford has not completed 90 minutes of football since September 2021. Ironically, the last time he scored a goal was a year ago today, after coming off the bench to grab an injury time equaliser against Brentford, before re-injuring himself during his goal celebration.

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Gokpo deal - we were 99.9% there

During a recent interview, Jesse Marsch revealed how just close Leeds were to signing Cody Gokpo. We knew Victor Orta had flown over to Eindhoven to meet with his Dutch counterparts, but we didn't know that he had met with Gokpo's family, and full personal terms had been agreed.

"It's difficult for us at Leeds because I think Gokpo has gotten out of our price range. We were so close to securing a transfer for him in the Summer. It was so close, and now obviously it's disappointing."

"Our Sporting Director was in Holland, meeting with the family, we'd agreed on terms on everything, was talking with PSV. I mean we were 99.9%."

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Little love lost - FA Cup tie between Leeds and Cardiff set for live broadcast

Leeds United's FA Cup clash with Cardiff City has been selected for live broadcast, and is set to kick off (in more ways than one) on Sunday 8th January at the Cardiff City Stadium. There's little love lost between the two sides over the years, none more so than the bad-tempered FA Cup encounter in 2002 when the Bluebirds recorded an unlikely victory over David O'Leary's side. The hostile atmosphere even spread to the benches.

Cardiff City (then) Chairman Sam Hammam had been berating the Leeds Manager all game. Things almost turned ugly, as O'Leary and Ridsdale were making their way back to the team bus. Hammam was in hot pursuit, and still intent on winding the former Republic of Ireland star up. O'Leary snapped, and went for Hamman, only for Ridsdale to drag him off.

Earlier, Cardiff City fans then launched a pitch invasion upon the final whistle as emotions ran high and tempers began to fray. As we know, Leeds fans don't need a written invitation to join a party, and fighting broke out between the two sets of supporters.

“Our unfathomable and spectacular fall from grace began when we travelled to play Cardiff in the FA Cup. David (O’Leary) had asked for the fixture to be switched from Ninian Park to the Millennium Stadium.

“His request was declined but the manager set himself up for a fall when he quipped, ‘I’m disappointed. It would have proved excellent preparation for us if we go back there in May’. “Prior to the game, and in response to David’s taunts, Sam spoke about the Bluebirds being a bigger club than Leeds; a sleeping giant, and a club not intimidated by its Premiership rivals. “In this psychological warfare, Sam’s mind games won out because we had a shocker of a match.

“The atmosphere was already hostile in the ground when Sam intensified emotions with a walk around the edge of the pitch during play, rousing the Cardiff fans and goading the away support; an over-zealous mascot in a cashmere coat. “It was an irresponsible thing to do and it led to violence in the stands as police dogs were brought in to restore order.

“You can imagine how much Ninian Park went wild when Cardiff nicked the tie 2-1 with an 86th minute winner. David looked ashen in the dug-out, and you could tell he was seething over the shock defeat. As we traipsed out of the ground, crossing the tiny directors’ car park to the coach, which was parked in the main road directly outside the stadium to return us to the airport, Sam stood at the main entrance, still intent on chipping away at David. ‘I told you we were a bigger club!’ he shouted, clearly intending it for our ears.

“David stopped in his tracks, simmering. ‘Well, you were right about one thing,’ Sam continued, laughing. ‘Your FA Cup started and finished in Cardiff’. “David went for him, rushing like a bull towards a red flag. Sam berated as David grabbed him by the lapels of his jacket. I dived in, dragging him away. Sam – who had it coming to him with all his provocation – still says to this day I stopped him from being punched. I’m not sure about that. All I was sure about was that our manager had lost his cool.”

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‘We’d agreed terms on everything - we were talking to psv’ - so agreed on everything… except with the selling club.

99.9%

Do the math

 

Morning all

99% liar or 99% gullible - Even Gackpo himself has stated he’d no intention of joining anyone after the deal to sign for Man U had fell through

 

did Gakpo say that Rich? There's loads of smoke and mirrors and face-saving that goes on from all parties when these things happen - but I thought he said it all happened quick and Van Gaal questioned whether changing teams prior to world cup was smart? Players version and both clubs versions differ. Neither selling club nor player are going to say... yeh we dicked them around... and buying club want to put blame elsewhere. Who knows the reality.

 

Don’t forget the DoF was sacked 2 days after the deal fell through and he had been with the club years. So no smoke without fire. I can believe a deal was agreed with the player and the DoF and then the club heard and put a sock in it and sacked the DoF. Obviously the board hadn’t sanctioned it or maybe even heard of the approach, this was done between Orta and their DoF after Gakpo agreed personal terms

 

Hope it wasn't one of OLOF's socks...

 

I watched an interview on TV with a translator present. He was excited about joining Man U but the offer never came through. With just a week to go several offers came in for him and he felt they were all rushed, after the Man U move fell through he felt he needed time to think about his future.

He never actually said “I don’t want to join Leeds”, he said he had no intention of joining anyone else after the move fell through, he would decide at the end of the season and focus on the World Cup

Wasn’t something I read, it was an actual interview

 

“It (Man U interest) ended about a week before the end of the transfer window and in that week I had to decide if I would go to Leeds or Southampton. In the end I stayed, but it was a stressful period.“

Seems pretty clear it wasn’t a straightforward decision for him otherwise it wouldn’t have been stressful.

 

Just don't believe anything that is said or rumoured from anyone at Leeds United. Only when a player signs a contract is the actual truth.

 

Fair enough wakey… my point is all parties have a vested interest in a particular line of a transfer doesn’t happen. That quote is from gakpo - presumably the same interview risty referred to, or a similar one. Seems pretty obvious we were serious about it to me, but none of us have the full facts.

 

Oh i don't doubt orta tried to get him but why?. He wanted to sign for a club that could offer him European football and a bigger profile. That club is not Leeds as we are a bottom of the table side. Marsch giving us the percentages is just nonsense. He did not want to come to a bottom feeder club like ours.

 

Hot news is a Liverpool player is joining us.

 

Hopefully not Milner

 

robbie Fowler?

rumour has it we’re still paying his wages

 

Is it someone special called John by any chance ?

 

He even got a promotion bonus.

 

More Sunday league fixtures.

 

Thank God he didn't. I haven't a pot to piss in and genuinely haven't a clue what Id have done if he'd agreed to sign. I won't let any January business get as close, Ill guarantee you all that