McCormack is the main man

By Shaun Stone

After another goal at the weekend against Doncaster Rovers, Ross McCormack has shown why he is the main man at Leeds United, in my opinion.

I will be the first to admit that my opinion of this player has not always been of a generous nature, but I am certainly eating my words now. This guy is definitely something to be admired when he puts on the Leeds shirt. All we want to see from our players is that they put the effort in and this player certainly does that.

If there are any doubts in your mind about this, watch him and you will see what I am talking about. Off the ball movement - what he can do even without the ball at his feet. This is what makes an intelligent footballer, a game changer, a role model for the rest of the team.

During the last transfer window, there were doubts about whether or not he would remain at Elland Road and I understand some of you may think it is easy for me to say this now, but I said it at the time - He would not leave Leeds United. I would never try to speak on behalf of another person, but I just knew that he would not entertain the thought of leaving us. He has a point to prove and I still believe there is more to come from this guy. With 16 goals at this stage of the season, he is very much a key player in our push for a promotion spot. Whether that be in the playoffs or automatically, we will just have to wait and see.

This is not just an opinion on a player who is scoring us goals and winning us games. There is more to a team than just one player, but one player can make all the difference to a team if their attitude is right. It sets the tone. I believe we have a great player in Ross and any young, hopeful footballers could learn a lot by just watching him on the field. Maybe a few veterans could learn a thing or two also. To single out an individual amongst a team is unfair and that is not my intention, even though this article is about Ross McCormack. It is the effect a player has on a team in it's entirety that I am trying to point out.

We have a bright future ahead of us and I firmly believe that this guy will be at the centre of it. My only fear is that we do eventually lose him, like we have lost so many over the years. The best way to prevent this from happening, is to achieve our goals in a reasonable, timely fashion. I think, with players like this we can do this. They are the soul of a team and deserve our recognition.

As fans, we support our team but let us not forget the work that some players do for the team, on and off the pitch. There are so many factors to why such players shine. The manager, coaching staff, family and friends, all of which have the same effect in the end... Support. We as supporters do what we can to support our team and you are now seeing what our support can do for our players.

I will always be proud to be a Leeds United fan, but I must admit there is definitely something special happening at our club and this makes me feel very proud. We have been on a very bumpy ride over recent years and I have no doubt that we will continue to journey on this white knuckle ride. Why? because we are Leeds, and that's what being a Leeds fan is all about.

It's difficult not to get carried away, but I believe we are now united, strong, capable of beating anyone in this league and this is our chance to prove it. Some may think I am too confident, but I've watched a lot of football and I know when a team is playing with confidence. Yes, we have had some weaker performances but if we learn from them, then it's surely a positive. We have spent a long time learning and some will say we will always need to learn something. We are now showing that we are the ones to teach, not to learn.

We are Leeds. Marching On Together!