Leeds United, one of the Championship’s biggest clubs and serial underachievers, is on the verge of imploding after owner Andrea Radrizzani criticised the players earlier in the week for failing to show “commitment, passion and spirit”.
The Italian made no attempt to hide his disappointment at the club’s failure to challenge for the promotion places despite significant investment in the transfer market and two changes of manager.
Eleven points adrift of the playoffs, the Peacocks’ form collapsed in a run of one win in 14 matches. Radrizzani bought the club after the reign of Massimo Cellino disintegrated and while in some areas provided a steadying hand, in others he has proven to be chaotic.
His public pronouncements share the same vociferous opinions as his predecessor and berating the squad was straight from the Cellino handbook on ‘How Not to Run a Football Club’.
The players reacted dismissively. Gaetano Berardi retorted that the players “don’t care” what the owner has to say. The Swiss defender who moved to Elland Road in 2014 told reporters ahead of the weekend’s Yorkshire derby with Sheffield Wednesday that it was actions on the pitch that matter.
Berardi on Radrizzani pic.twitter.com/8Sg2spagjw
— Phil Hay (@PhilHayYEP) March 15, 2018
Paul Heckingbottom unsurprisingly tried to smooth things over, according to Yorkshire Evening Post. “The owner’s put his money into the football club and he’s got every right to say what he feels is right,” said the Leeds manager.
“How have the players reacted? Fine. They understand that, they know that. It’ll not change their focus and it’ll not change their approach.
“They want to win for their own reasons, for the football club and for the owner because they do understand the support they’ve had while they’ve been here.”
Leeds fans haven’t been slow to criticise the players for their performances this year. A season which promised so much is delivering nothing but disappointment once again.
Heckingbottom recognises that the players need to be stronger mentally, but they are not the only ones.
“One of the things we have got to have is a real winning mentality and that’s not just the players,” he told his press conference.
“That’s across the board, everyone has to be better. But there is not a disconnect at the football club, there’s a real togetherness.”