Former Leeds United player Dominic Matteo has spoken of his summer fears at Elland Road if the club don’t now seize the Play-Off opportunity that lays ahead of us.
With Norwich City and Sheffield United confirmed as the two clubs going up via the automatic spots this year as we took a point from Aston Villa on Sunday in slightly controversial fashion, Matteo was speaking ahead of the game to BBC Radio’s Noel Whelan show, and he felt that the nucleus we had in the first team squad could be decimated should the campaign not end in promotion back to the Premier League.
“I just fear if we weren’t to go up this season, there’s a couple of good young players at this football club who will attract interest. I’ve seen scouts at the games. And, I’m not putting the mockers on it, but there’s going to be people interested in these young players because there’s some talents.”
It’s a risk every summer as players prove themselves and we’ve certainly seen a number of younger lads do just that this year under manager Marcelo Bielsa with the likes of Kalvin Phillips and Jack Clarke certainly taking their chance to step up their individual game and impress, and it’s only natural other clubs will be taking an interest, but given the spirit in the camp, I’m not so sure this is a ‘fear’ that will come overly true.
Bielsa staying for a second crack with the experience of this year could play its own part.