The #LUFC Breakfast Debate (Friday 16th February) Side before self - Does it mean anything anymore

[Ellandback1]

Good Morning. It's Friday 16th February, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road…


Side before self - Does it mean anything anymore

Social media lit up yesterday after reports surfaced that Spurs are happy to let Joe Rodon leave North London for as little as £10m (£10m-£15m).

The 26yo has been an inspiration this season, giving blood, sweat and tears for the cause. He is one of the main reason why we are challenging for automatic promotion. Leeds have put him back on the map, and suddenly he once again is an attractive proposition for many top flight clubs.

Any top footballer wants to be playing at the highest level, and Rodon is no different. The lure of Ferrari's, Penthouses and multi Million pound contracts are a far cry from the bygone era of the 60's, 70's and 80's when players used to play for the love of the sport.

Rodon is more than happy to make his move to West Yorkshire permanent, but only if Leeds go up this season. His stipulation has divided opinion on social media platform (X). Our beloved Billy coined the phrase 'Side before self, every time', but how true is it in modern game era?





End of a Dynasty for Dallas

It's been nearly two years since Stuart Dallas has kicked a ball. The popular Irishman suffered a horrific femoral fracture trying to nobble Jack Grealish during a league match against Manchester City in April 2022.

He joined the Whites from Brentford during the Summer of 2015 for £1.3m, and has gone on to make 249 appearances, and has scored 25 goals. His contract is up at the end of the season, and at 32, is unlikely to be renewed.

According to Capology, Dallas is the fifth highest paid player at Elland Road at £45,000; even more than Ethan Ampadu (£40,000). It would have been nice to see him win his 250th cap for Leeds, but it seems unlikely!

[Ratscoot]

Morning EB et all,

Side before Self on the pitch I do think most of the current squad would agree with that, off the pitch and more importantly whilst looking at their Bank balance and the offer of a bigger contract elsewhere it takes some balls to say to the wife - Nope I'm here for the team, especially when its pointed out how short a career it can be.

I'd love it if Dallas was allowed one last game even if it's only 15mins against Southampton to score the goal that gives us automatic, oh but wait here comes Kamara, pushing Dallas over to score his only goal of the season

But how classy would that be of the club to make that happen

[mentalcase]

Morning all.
I concur what rat says above.
Plus there's not much loyalty anymore, the one club men have just about died off, but, how much money , how many houses and how many cars does a footballer actually need !!!
I'm nowhere near a millionaire, my career was no way high paid, but I feel I've got plenty to retire on, maybe it's a footballer thing where pure greed is paramount.
Anyway "side before self everytime" is still up there as a reminder, us fans will never forget it.
I'd love Dallas to get a brief cameo at the end of the season, would be fitting.

[Sean_Nile]

Loyalty to a club? Please, in today's game, it's more like a Tinder date – here for a good time, not a long time.

International duty? more like whores in the window of the Amsterdam red light district.

Everyone in football sells themselves out to the highest bidder.

It's called commerce. and governs everything.

[Irish Ian]

If Billy Bremner had really believed in that mantra I wonder why he joined Leeds in the first place.

[ruttermania]

Leeds have benefited over the years from the likes of Kalvin and Archie who for a number of years have prioritised their attachment to the club . They will have seen during that time many of their contemporaries discarded when it appeared that their services were no longer required . Eventually that will feed into the narrative that it's a short career and you will need financial security and that's a history that most younger players will be familiar with . If you're retiring in your early to mid 30's you'll want a lot of provision made unless you're very sure you have something else to fall back on . The phrase implies some sense of mutual loyalty which died out in the 70's and 80's and was given it's coup de grace with the formation of the Premiership.

[CUSSIE01]

I’d love Dallas to get even a minute at the end of a game to get the reception and adulation he deserves. He put his Leeds & Northern Ireland career on the line playing for us and should maybe look to take on a coaching or ambassador role at Elland Rd. Stuarty was side before self.

[Sara]

It's called commerce. and governs everything.

And it's s**t.

[Kennyb41]

No matter how you look at it, these days LUFC are a 'feeder club' and until we can get back amongst the big guns it shall remain that way where our best players will ALWAYS have their heads turned.

To me it's that simple, there is only loyalty to money these days, and i'd be the same myself if only.

Thanks Stuey, yes it'll be bye bye and i for one owe you a massive apology and a big thankyou, I can't wait for you to become the latest to talk about what the genius did for your game, eagerly looking forward to it.

[Orange Box]

Morning all.
I concur what rat says above.
Plus there's not much loyalty anymore, the one club men have just about died off, but, how much money , how many houses and how many cars does a footballer actually need !!!
I'm nowhere near a millionaire, my career was no way high paid, but I feel I've got plenty to retire on, maybe it's a footballer thing where pure greed is paramount.
Anyway "side before self everytime" is still up there as a reminder, us fans will never forget it.
I'd love Dallas to get a brief cameo at the end of the season, would be fitting.

Ditto, Stuart Dallas (by not playing) earns in a week what I did in a year, and I’ve been frugal enough to ensure I’m comfortable in retirement.

So why should I be concerned about the greed vs. side before self argument?

I’m not. I accepted long ago that top level sports is populated by mercenaries, and good luck to them, if they’ve got the talent and the mental strength to go out and do what they do in front of thousands (millions) of people. If they believe they truly need a multi-million pension pot to be happy then that’s fine by me.

My loyalty is to my club, come what may I will support them. I’ll spit and swear and cheer and moan at the appropriate time, but I’m a hypocrite. These days the money I give to the club is via my television subscriptions. The true side-before-self people are those who still go to games, especially the likes of Heidi. How that girl gets herself up some days to go to a game hundreds of miles away, then does it all over again days later flabbergasts me.

The supporters are the true side before self, the players are transient.

[Sara]

Sad about Dallas, he was a big loss at the time. Really enjoyed watching him play, from that dreaded play off semi onwards, where he suddenly decided to take the game by the scruff single handedly.

The winning goal against Man City will be a lifelong memory... a perfect Bielsa goal for such an atypical Bielsa game.

[whiteinfrance]

It seems a championship player can earn upwards of 10k a week

At that bare minimum, it's 5 million over 10 years

I think I could manage very comfortably on that for life thank you

[Ellandback1]

It seems a championship player can earn upwards of 10k a week

At that bare minimum, it's 5 million over 10 years

I think I could manage very comfortably on that for life thank you

Who would you choose from us lot as your agent?

[whiteinfrance]

Who would you choose from us lot as your agent?

I don't understand why anyone would need an agent. You only need a phone!

[Kennyb41]

He was brought in to replace Raphinha - now it is a relief Luis Sinisterra has been sold.

The Colombian was bought in the summer of 2022 - a pivotal moment. Leeds had hung onto the Premier League by their fingernails. Not the time to sell your two best players, but that's what they did.

"I think we're better, we have lost two champions... but we got six good players," then-owner Andrea Radrizzani said in August 2022. "I might be wrong, but this is my conviction and I think the pitch will show it."

The pitch did show it. Radrizzani was wrong and Leeds were relegated.

The "champions" Leeds sold were Kalvin Phillips and Raphinha. The "six good players" were Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, Marc Roca, Rasmus Kristensen, Sinisterra and Darko Gyabi.

When Leeds needed to build a team around their best players, or replace them with quality, Sinisterra was part of an intake whose talent did not match their egos. Selling him for £20m is a fantastic deal.

The Sinisterra money will help keep Leeds financially healthy should they not get promoted this season.

[Ellandback1]

I don't understand why anyone would need an agent. You only need a phone!