Aidy, what are we going to do with you?

You might not believe me when I tell you this story, but a few years back in our 2009/10 promotion season I saw Aidy White play the game of his life against Oldham, a game in which he was given a standing ovation by the 17000 fans at ER that night.

I haven't really seen Aidy since then, he's been below average and that's being kind, he shows small glimpses of quality, his goal against Everton in last years Carling Cup being one, but apart from that I'll admit I've been left bitterly disappointed by him in recent years. After we fought so hard to keep hold of him last summer I suspected that NW or someone at Leeds had seen something in him that would suggest that he would be able to hold down a regular 1st team spot at the club, but no..

Aidy was in and out of the team last year and I doubt he'll feature much this season. Actually I kind of wish we had let him go last summer, I'm sure we can all agree that the link between him and Arsenal was a joke or something, but the link with Derby seemed real enough and I wish that it was them wasting their wage budget on him and not us.

One of Aidy's biggest problems (apart from being a very average footballer) is that we don't really know what his best position is, he's played both LB, LW and even RW in Leeds and none of them seem to fit him 100 % so what do we do?
If the interest from Blackpool is true and if they're really willing to pay between 250k-500k for him, I say; let him go. It hurts to see a academy player leave Leeds, but I can't see us ever getting anything out of Aidy White that we can't get out of 95% of our players.

My predictions for the coming season

So we are just a few days away from Brian McDermott first full season in charge of Leeds United and I think we are all pretty excited about getting the season startet and about seeing what McDermott can do for us.

I think all Leeds fans had hoped that GFH Capital would back McDermott big time so we could have signed six or seven quality players, but we have again been disappointed with regards to transfers, in other areas they have done very good things for the club, getting rid of Bates and his buddies and closing Yorkshire Radio, a station that constantly lost money.

But back to the transfers, McDermott managed to get highly rated Crewe midfielder Luke Murphy to join Leeds despite loads of interests from other good teams, Luke was our first £1M signing since we picked up Richard Cresswell in 2005, and he also got Matt Smith to join, his name might ring a bell for Liverpool and Everton fans after he scored goals against both in last seasons FA Cup. His last signing was his former Reading player Noel Hunt, a guy who always gives 100 % and then some. He also got rid of Warnock's biggest mistake, Steve Morison - worst signing in recent Leeds history. So he's has done well in the market with the limitations that was set up for him I think.

Pre-season was hard to judge much from but I feel confident that we will have a better season then last year (not saying much to be hinest), and with a good signing or two my prediction might even change to us going into the playoffs. 

Predictions:

Finish: 9th

Topscorer: Noel Hunt

Player of the year: Tom Lees

Young player of the year: Dominic Poleon

I hope to get over to Leeds during the season and I hope to meet some of you over there for a pint or two.

Marching on together!

We should sell someone...

I did this piece a few weeks ago, http://aroundmyleedsunited.blogspot.dk/2013/07/spirits-are-high-at-leeds-united.html and as per usual when I become positive about Leeds nothing good comes of it and by now it seems painfully obvious that we're once again looking into the loan market or playing with the average side that we currently have.

It seems that we have to move players before we can get in the 4th or 5th signing that Brian McDermott sees as crucial to his team, but how on earth are we supposed to sell players like Pugh, Brown, Norris or Tonge, they have been given too good deals at Leeds for other teams to want to look at them and let's be honest, they are also kind of shit. So what do we do, we have to put someone in the shop window that could generate some interest, and I'd prefer that player to be El-Hadji Diouf, I think he went from great player to below average after he got his permanent deal last year, and he's not one I can see playing 35-40 games next year, at least not as a starter.

I know Diouf is a popular figure with fans and I do like him too, but we need to try and sell someone that might actually end up getting sold, and I think that most fans would agree with me that we will do better without Diouf then without McCormack, Lees or Byram (the other players that might generate some interest).

I'll gladly let David Haigh use my idea of a 2 for 1 sale.. Buy Diouf and get Pugh, Brown, Tonge or Norris FOR FREE!!

Marching on together.

Spirits are high at Leeds United

As always I feel really positive before the new season begins, but it seems that this year I am not alone in feeling that, the group of players Brian McDermott have chosen to lead his charge on the league seem to be getting on really well together, both on the social network Twitter and, more importantly, on the pitch and in training.

New signing Noel Hunt made sure we all knew they were working hard and that it was not just about Twitter banter on his account (https://twitter.com/boyhunt) and I think everyone supporting Leeds knows that these guys are ready to fight very hard to bring us every success in the coming season.

New manager Brian McDermott also continues to make himself somewhat of cult hero with the fans, most recently after handing over 50 Euros to the supporters after they sang; "It's your round Brian" - I think that's class and really proves that he wants us all to be in this together. I also liked his quote of; "We're Leeds United, we have to win games", that could prove a popular song with the supporters during the season.

So I think that all Leeds fans can look forward to an exciting season with a bunch of players who will fight 100 % for the shirt and a manager who genuinely cares about the club and us as supporters.

 

Transfer window approaching

The summer transfer window is opening on July 1st and after some horrible windows we are finally ready to set off and claim our place back in the Premier League with some class signings, GFH Capital promised they would spend some money and said that we should reserve judgement on them until the summer window was over, OH MY, are they in for a treat, if Leeds fans are good at anything it's at judging, so for Haigh and his buddies sake I really hope they deliever what they have promised us since the day they took over basically.

It might sound negative saying that Leeds fans are good at judging, but I actually feel it's fair enough that we do, we have had almost ten years of pain and lies, we deserve better then this and we especially deserve the truth after GFH came in with big words and promises of listening and involving the fans.

I know the window is yet to open but I still feel a bit concerned about the promised transfers, whenever I see us linked with a player that will cost us £1M and above reports are quickly out that we are looking at the possibility of a season long loan instead or that we are ruled out of the biding before it even starts. I am not sure how I'd feel about another summer of broken promises and loans or signings of the quality like Habibou and Ryan Hall, or well I actually do know how I'd feel, I'd feel pissed off and lied to. The only positive there is to say about shit loan signings like Habibou is that we had the chance to return him to Belgium.

I have been considering whether it is all a smokescreen from GFH that we seem to be ruled out of any targets before even starting the window, they might just be cautious not to push the prices up before we put in bids, knowing that we are Leeds United, and if we want a player you can squeeze the prices up a bit.

Regardless of what happens I hope for some positive news while I'm on my holiday and I hope that GFH delievers, because like I wrote, judgement on them is coming to a town near you on August 1st. 


Marching on together and thanks for reading! Have a nice summer.

The best ever Leeds United shirt

About a year ago my mailman rang my door and I went downstairs and opened it, there it was, ok it was wrapped so I could not actually see it, but I knew it was in there... I went upstairs and opened the package, and as expected, the best, Leeds United related, ebay purchase EVER. A slightly worn original Asics Thistle Hotels shirt as worn by legends like McAllister, Speed, Deane and Strachan.
I was well happy with the purchase, which was actually pretty cheap (£16 I think) and I wear it as often as I can, no event is to small to show of a true Leeds classic.

Footballing wise we have without a doubt celebrated more succes in other shirts, but I just like this so much, the collar, the color, the stripe, the logo - it just has it all - actually all the Thistle Hotels shirts (perhaps not the goalie ones though), were awesome and I have almost managed to get them all, just lacking the green/blue one but I'll probably get hold of that someday to.

After years with Diadora and Macron I always like to think back the days we wore Nike, Asics and Umbro, true sporting brands and not this cheap crap we wear now, one of my biggest hopes is that we will return to a decent brand the year we are promoted, which means 2014/15 (I wish).

Marching on together!

Jermaine Beckford, a return or a player best left in the past?

A rumour surfaced today that Leicester would either release or transfer list Jermaine Beckford, and instantly Twitter exploded with people either wanting Leeds to sign him up or people doing their best to persuade Leeds to leave Beckford alone.
I'm a bit torn to be honest, the guy can score goals, plenty of goals when he's in the right mood, he can also be a lazy bugger that complaints and moans most of the time, and the "fun" part is, you never know which Jermaine you'll see.

Beckford will always be a hero to Leeds fans for his goal against Manchester United on January 3rd 2010 and for him scoring the goal that finally got us out of League One on a wonderful day in May 2010 - but if I'm honest I think we should let Beckford sign for someone else, I just can't see him being a 20-25 goalscorer in the championship, plus the whole taking players back who asked to leave is not really always the best idea, I fear he'd return with an attitude of him being bigger then Leeds since he's been in the Premier League and we haven't.

So, the verdict will have to be; Thanks for the memories Becks but our paths should probably not cross again, for the good of Leeds United and probably for you to... So Brian McDermott, please sign Billy Sharp!

MOT