Ambition: who for?

21/8/2017

By the time you have read this article Christopher Wood, a thirty goal striker will be smiling with a claret and blue Burnley shirt on. I ask now what are the ambitions of Leeds United FC?

The club has experienced a productive summer, ten signings brought in and the whole club brought bit by bit into a club run properly. However, will it now be Wood that is the 'sacrificial lamb' to pay for all this.

We had at our disposal a striker that had plundered the Championship last season and although he's started to fire one or two blanks, sooner or later the goals will come and now he'll be wearing a different shirt.

Had Leeds told any suitor to 'shove their money up their a#%e and sideways!' It would have shown the fans finally that money isn't everything, now Radrizzani follows Cellino, GFH and Bates by allowing another prized asset out of the front door of Elland Road. If I get some 'stick' for saying this I don't care because look at the list, it speaks for itself

Wood: Radrizzani
Cook, Taylor, Byram and Mowatt
Cellino/GFH
Snodgrass, Howson, McCormack to mention a few under Bates.

We now understand that the decision to bow out of Saturday's game and leave is solely in Wood's hands, but this still does not speak highly of our club.

Talent has now slipped through our fingers once again and we've languished in the second and third tier of English football for the fourteenth season.

I agree that in some cases Leeds would have struggled to meet the monies offered by other clubs but in Wood's situation I think that the club should have stood firm and rebuffed the bids and made it evident to the player that no bid would meet his valuation.

Leeds now have to replace the talismanic striker and it won't or shouldn't be a cheap option. An on form Jordan Rhodes may be a option but it needs to be a proven goal scorer not somebody Orta has seen on YouTube!

I'm disappointed, dismayed and annoyed by the sale of Wood and I just hope it's not ruined all the great work that Andrea Radrizzani had done in previous months.

This was one transfer when the answer should have been NO!

It's ok to put forward a view of ambition but quite another to stick to your guns and actually show it.

By Keith Ingham

22 Comments

Chris Gamble

21/8/2017 03:29:05 am

Couldn't disagree more,

How can you Blame Radriazzani?
Wood has openly said he wants to move on, so why on earth would you want to keep a player who doesn't want to play for you?
If he doesn't want to wear the famous white shirt any longer, then good riddance.
AR, offered him a new deal, which he turned down and as TC has stated, if he doesnt want to accept that bid then he needs to go!.

£15m + add ons, is in my opinion a good piece of Business, start of last season, people were willing to sell Wood for a fraction of that price.

He clearly doesnt buy into the mentality and Motto that is set by Leeds currently... "Side Before Self, every time"

Are you really happy for players to wear the Shirt half hearted?

We want players who want to stay and fight for promotion and fight for these fans.

You have seen in the Last 2 games (preston.fulham) Wood didnt want to play for us he was lethargic, slow reactions, poor and dis-interested.

David Campbell

21/8/2017 05:00:36 am

Totally disagree with this article.
Wood didn't want to play, attended both the home games.
Commented at the time he didn't seem interested.
In my opinion was protecting his fitness.
An on fire Chris Wood and the games would have been won.

John Bent

21/8/2017 06:54:32 am

agree with you Chris....let's move on and hope progress under new owner and Mgt continues. .ALAW...MOT

Phil Toon

21/8/2017 03:30:16 am

Bullshit we dont need players who want to leave for money Wood can join Taylor on the inbreeds subs bench - we played too much to "lump of"Wood anyway good riddance

Neilc

21/8/2017 03:35:44 am

If someone doesn't want to play for you because as is the norm these days they are more interested in money, it doesn't matter who they are you get shut. All the badge kissing bollox that we get is precisely that. Players today would much rather go and join in a relegation battle at a backwater club for thousands extra a week and probably spend most of there time sat on there
arse bench warming (byram, cook etc) than actually try and achieve something by getting a massive club back to where they should be and been forever appreciated. Looking at the way we played Saturday at Sunderland he wasn't missed and I am sure that a replacement will be lined up. Chris Wood will soon realise once again that he's a good championship player and can't cut it in the premier. Bit like Nakhi Wells was a good division 1 player but no a championship player (please don't waste money on him).

Brian from Leeds

21/8/2017 03:35:47 am

You obviously know very little about football and are a member of the ridiculous (he has a white shirt on, so he is a world beater brigade) Selling Wood will be the best piece of business we have done all summer. The money used wisely will get us promoted. Wood is slow, cannot hold or control the ball, has a head like a blancmange with intelligence to match. He will only manage 6/7 tap inns for Burnley cos he is incapable of creating a goal for himself especially in the Prem, he will be replaced by Feb. Good Riddance

AllWhite

21/8/2017 03:49:31 am

I didn't want to be so harsh Brian in my post but you are absolutely right!
I am even more excited now about this season and Christiansen can develop his own style and players without being shackled with Wood as the 'main man'.

Mark Tomkinson

21/8/2017 01:26:56 pm

Well said Brian yes 30 goals how many pinged in off him cuz he was stood in right place. Too much of a light weight for the size of him.

21/8/2017 03:42:26 am

Here is another thought Keith. I think we have played better against Port Vale and Sunderland without Wood and Ekuban was terrific before he got injured as were everyone else. Only time will tell but In reality Wood may have done us a favour by pushing the deal through.
Wood's last seasons efforts were unlikely to be repeated and with a developing style from Christiansen which seems not to be Monkesqe one dimensional he might have slipped down the pecking order a bit so lets watch with interest how he does at Burnley.
I don't think we want a 'direct replacement' and Orta may well dig up another nugget or two abroad where three million will buy you ten in the UK market. However, Shane Long an admitted Leeds supporter would be a good lone deal maybe?
I noticed this weekend that neither Taylor, Lewis Cook or Byram made the eleven at their clubs and for me Bridcutt will not be a big miss. He was good on loan in a poor Leeds side two seasons ago but did not live up to expectations last season. We now have plenty who are better in a stronger squad.

21/8/2017 06:57:30 am

good comments but not that sure about Eukaban. ..think he is a work in progress...needs game time but not yet up to standard that will get us to Premiership. ...MOT

Neil G

21/8/2017 03:59:46 am

Totally disagree with this, and apparently so do most LUFC fans.
If you're questioning anyone's ambition, it should be Chris Wood's. Fancy wanting to leave a great club with huge prospects, to play for a Prem bottom feeder who will no doubt be battling relegation again.
He wants the PL money and a 'quick fix' taste of the big time, that's all, and it will most likely blow up in his face

Ancient white

21/8/2017 04:17:45 am

Chris wood was made to look good last season by a team built to provide him with opportunities
Whilst it made him look much better than he is ( snap up that £15m it's three times his true worth) it made leeds a one dimension team and we were found out at the end of last season
Letting a half hearted and limited player go for £15+ Is good biz

Dave from Leeds

21/8/2017 04:08:59 am

Sorry Keith I totally disagree. You cannot and MUST not keep players who don't want to be at the club. If ever you want an example of this then look no further than Charlie Taylor. It was clear to everyone who watched him last year that his heart wasn't in it and when you are often talking of such fine lines in performance if a player's heart isn't in it then he'll not quite perform to the levels he needs to no matter how professional he is trying to be. I say good luck to Charlie and Chris but we are Leeds are we must all march on together. TC and Orta will bring someone new in and hopefully if we all get behind the player(s) they'll deliver for us and it'll soon be 'Chris Who'. That's just the way football is and always has been. MOT

Paul from Bramley

21/8/2017 04:15:42 am

I am in total agreement with all that has been said so far. Short sightedness on the part of Chris Wood to think that the grass will be greener elsewhere. I can never understand why these players and their agents can't think ahead. Yes it is all about money but where is the ambition and the passion for this great club of ours. And where are some of those who have left before him. On the bench at these mid to bottom Prem League clubs or not in the team at all. Let TC do his work and have those stay who really want to play for the team not those after a quick fix elsewhere. Signs are good so far for us. Not the finished product yet but much more solid all round than last year. Guess the last laugh may be with us when we go up and Burnley go down!

Peter White

21/8/2017 09:11:42 am

You can't blame someone for wanting to try themselves at the higher level and for more money.
I don't think he will succeed but will always be welcomed back to a championship club. Probably not Leeds.

Michael

21/8/2017 04:53:42 am

I agree with all the comments that say, if he doesn't want to play then cash in.

You can't blame him for wanting to triple his salary but if all comes good at Leeds, we will pass Burnley when we are promoted and they are back in the Championship.

We only want players and managers at ER who want to be there. Look at Monk. Same story.

There is no loyalty in football, except from us, the fans, who will stick with OUR club, forever. MOT

Eastleighwhite link

21/8/2017 05:04:44 am

I was initially disappointed Chris wood was not starting on Saturday, but we did well without him. It is early days, but perhaps we will not be so one dimensional without him.
As TC said post match, we are not a one man show, we are a team and today we worked as a team. When one player does not want to stay there is nothing you can do. He only works with players who want to fight for the team and want to stay. These are the players he will die for.
I wish Chris, and Charlie well, but it is in TC we trust and we are marching on together.

Matt

21/8/2017 05:18:43 am

The bloke scored plenty last season but we played to his strengths to give him the best opportunity to do so. I don't begrudge him getting a chance at the premier league as I would want the same if I was him. The thing that twists my melons is the clubs that these players leave to go to. Cook to Bournemouth. Taylor and Wood to Burnley. Howson to Norwich. These are temporary forward, more like sideward steps which serves the purpose of getting the premier league player going rate in wages and nothing more. If the lads really want to play premier league they should be trying to force moves to established clubs. Anyways, we move on. As long as the club invest the money in someone that suits the style TC wants to play and they can score then happy days. Really don't want to see the money been thrown at Jordan Rhodes.

Matty Lufc <3

21/8/2017 06:16:51 am

Keith i read alot of your posts , but this time i think you let your anger write this one before you actually thought about it , We need to stey clear of the days of hoof ball to chris wood , hoof ball to becchio , hoof ball to matt smith etc , these methods are boring & one dimensional.

Teams who play us just needed to shut out wood & we couldn't score FACT , now their plenty of players who will pop up & score & im sure another gem signing will be brought in before window shuts.

So cheer up , stop living in the past & get behind the team.

Roy Blackburn

21/8/2017 07:20:35 am

Good Buisness, and I actually believe that we will create and score more goals now, instead of trying to get wood to finish off, now goals will come from more areas and more players and have a better chance of promotion.

Keith Ingham

21/8/2017 09:50:46 am

Agree with all the comments, the heart wrote the article pre game. The Head realises now after reading the statement from the owner that it is best that he's gone and we move on.
My passion sometimes gets the better of me and maybe, if there is another time I'll keep my thoughts to myself. In my defence I was so annoyed !

KeithT

22/8/2017 03:40:22 am

Can't agree with pointing the finger of blame at Radza. Wood struggled for a season ,then found form for one, although quite a lot of goals were penalties. Very very few strikers follow up that sort of season with another one, form invariably dips, sometimes to a significant level. It's called second season syndrome. I doubt that Woods would have had the same impact this season.

We now have plenty of other exciting prospects in the squad. Let's see what a little more investment brings.

Ambition: who for?

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