Should Leeds Keep Diouf? Who Would Replace Him?

By Rob Atkinson

He's a rum cove, that El-Hadji Diouf. You don't get many like him to the pound. At first glance, his link-up with Leeds United seemed like a match made in hell. He was signed by a manager in Neil Warnock who had previously referred to Diouf as "lower than a sewer rat." Well, I don't know about you, but I'm sure I've heard more sparkling endorsements than that - even from the notoriously uncouth Colin.

For a while there, we very probably had the most gleaming, five-star example of the full set hate-wise. The most hated club, with the most hated Chairman, the most hated manager, the most hated fans and the most hated player. It rather made your heart swell with pride, and you felt that if Dioufy could be taken to anyone's hearts, then perhaps Elland Road was the most likely place. We are rather fond of our villains down Beeston way.

The down side of the former Liverpool man - other than his alarming tendency to get involved in trouble at the drop of a blob of phlegm - is that he doesn't look the fittest of lads. He's only 32, and he's got undeniable pedigree but you're not going to see him running past opponents too often. His main contribution to the Leeds team this season seems to have been an ability to hold the ball up in confined spaces, draw a foul and win a free kick.  There was an early flurry of goals, but it was this ball retention ability that really shone in a team which appeared quite inept in that regard.

Sadly, a few live games in the first half of the season were characterised by the commentator making a fuss about this facet of Diouf's play, and refs seemed to be on the lookout for any possibility of being hoodwinked by the wily Senegalese schemer. Give a dog a bad name, eh? There were certainly quite a few occasions
that I noticed where Diouf would go down with a pained expression on his face, only for the ref to airily wave play on, to approving noises from the gantry. This detracted greatly from his general effectiveness, but he still contributed to some reasonably encouraging performances in that pre-Christmas part of the league programme.

Overall, I think I would say that it's doubtful we have anyone else on the books who can use the ball in a confined space, under pressure from close markers, as Dioufy can. Time and again, he would either slip the attention of a couple of defenders to find a man in relative acres of space, or he would gain one of those free-kicks.  Both of these gifts were invaluable to a Leeds side which otherwise appeared to regard the ball as a bit of a hot potato. It's just that telling lack of pace which limits his overall contribution.

In the last home match against Brighton, Diouf did of course manage to get himself sent-off in the aftermath of a successful penalty conversion. It appeared that he'd taken some stick from Brighton's rather over-sensitive away support, and
responded in sign language involving a too-public manipulation of his genitals, to shocking effect as far as the away crowd and sadly also the ref were concerned. A little surprisingly, this was Diouf's first dismissal since he joined the club. We are told that he is sorry, and that he remains committed to the Leeds United cause next season (which is the earliest we shall see him now.)

So should we hang on to this mercurial talent, or not?  I would cautiously vote to retain him, especially if a McDermott pre-season training programme could enhance his physical fitness somewhat.  It's difficult to see who else is out there - within our probably quite modest price-range - who can do quite what Dioufy can do.

What do people think?  Keep him or get rid?  And if he goes - just who are the likely candidates to replace him?  Answers on a virtual postcard, please...