MB Pre Manure
Posted: Fri Apr 23, 2021 12:21 pm
Should the so-called Big Six clubs be punished? And if so, what sanctions would you think would be appropriate?
I don't think that the path for a solution is for these clubs to be punished but to convince what is best and to come up with rules of acceptance in general and make sure that these rules are adhered to.
When a rule is broken and this forces a sanction, it means that the process before that was not efficient. And the leadership of the organisation to administer the interests of everybody is to create rules that everyone is able to adhere to because they've all accepted them.
I am of the opinion that punishment is more for authority and shows that the quality of the efficiency of the rules was not up to standard.
There has been protests at games this week against the European Super League. Now that that proposal is dead, would you appeal for calm at Sunday's game, especially because it's Manchester United who are coming?
I always hope that there is calmness. And in this case, singling out the players I don't think is adequate and I think this subject has already been consumed. Football and a classic game like this, there is a grade of excitement that is absolutely enough. The most clear demand from this episode is to put the focus on the competition.
When you look at the defensive improvements since Old Trafford, how much do you put to the tactical work, the greater maturity that you spoke about and how much is it about having players of the quality of Llorente more often?
Fundamentally, the last two points that you pointed out is much more important than the capacity of those who interpret the role and the evolution of it.
In any case the structure defensively, the whole team is responsible, not just certain
players. The position of centre-back is where we've suffered the most absences, tThere has been no player who has substituted those who have been absent who has done it badly. There has been an improvement with different defenders because the team has improved.
When we spoke to you after the Arsenal defeat earlier this year you said one way to develop the squad for the Premier League is to give young players regular minutes. Do you think this is something you'll look to do towards the end of the season?
One of the great consequences of this first year in the Premier League is that Meslier, Tyler, Pascal and Shackleton have been able to demonstrate that they deserve to be in a squad of 18-20 players in the Premier League and when you see the price of a player of a Premier League squad in the upper two-thirds of the league, to bring through four players we see clearly the importance of these players coming through the academy for the project at Leeds.
It's not about putting in players that are young, it's about playing them because they deserve to play over those players who play more regularly or that they can take advantage of absences by showing that they have the level they are required.

Ian Poveda played for the first time since January on Monday - what did you make of his performance and how he is progressing this season?
He hasn't had the luck of Tyler where he's been able to play many games. For any player to play, they have to show they are in better conditions to play than the player who is currently occupying the position. Or that there is spaces in the team, for reasons that are not to do with performance.
In this sense, Poveda hasn't had many opportunities because Raphinha and Harrison have played more. And when either of those two have been absent, Helder Costa has played.
But he is a player with a great capacity to unbalance. He is a player who has dribbling skills that are difficult to decipher. But like I was saying about Tyler, he needs to create these attempts into something that impacts the game. And there's also a question that is indefensible, that you have to be able to play to gain conclusions in this sense and he's had very few minutes to show the conditions like this, not because he doesn't deserve them but because I've taken decisions that have positioned him behind Raphinha, Harrison and Helder Costa.
But in some way he deserves more minutes due to the quality that he has.
How was Adam Forshaw after he played for the U23s and what is the plan for him now?
He picked up a muscular injury in that last game and this will keep him out for a period of time which is yet to be defined.
How do you feel Tyler Roberts is progressing after this run of games which h has been able to enjoy?
He has played many games in a row and he has shown he has the resources to justify his place in the team. He has virtues that are very difficult to find in football at the moment. He has all the resources necessary to unbalance offensively and clearly he still has a lot to grow to make these attempts useful and efficient.
He has many virtues and he needs to impact on Leeds' offensive game in accordance to the virtues that he has. Clearly there are not many players with this creative capacity
You side has conceded just six goals at home this calendar year. At a time when so many teams are struggling with their home record, what would you say the reasons behind a strong defensive record are?
I think that there's been a growth and a maturity of the team in general. The development and the experience to be able to play every game.
This experience means be able to take the correct decisions. When a team reaches this state of maturity, they make less errors which is the consequence that is most direct and it elevates the stablility and production of the team. We have to show this once every week.
From a neutral's perspective it's quite hard to describe Man United's playing style - how would you define them as a team?
The more simple the football is, the better it is. This principle is supported when the players do what they should do and this involves what they are best doing.
In this sense, Manchester United is an example of this. They do what they know best how to do and this has permitted them to create a style. That the game is simple to decipher. This is a praise. Because to be able to play simple is very difficult and when we manage to achieve it it is very satisfying
You've been at the club for nearly three years now, could you give us a sense of what it could mean for the Leeds fans to beat Manchester United on Sunday?
I know perfectly what it means to play in a classic game. It's something that has built up through many years, relaying the feelings of the fans.
I know the effect that the result will have on the emotion of the people.
It looks like the European Super League has unraveled. What steps would you like to see to stop these power grabs from happening again?
Those are decisions that are taken and consider a lot of aspects and the majority of the aspects that are considered is out of my reach or capacity to analyse.
But I do think it's a good opportunity to have a look at the problems in football in a global sense. There are things that shouldn't be ignored like the fact that we should reduce the amount of games that are played, improving the quality of games that are played, and a path to better the quality of the games is to make better the players and for that there needs to be more space for preparation. And to lower the fatigue of the players due to the constant games.
And another aspect that is fundamental for football to be more even is that there is a higher amount of quality players. How you manage this is a lot of time and investment on the formation of players. For example, Germany and England have projects in this aspect. They have generations of great players come through which shows that this is possible. And for the newer generations to stay linked with football, the spectacle has to be improved. It's about focusing on these aspects. Better players, better prepared and better performances. And to rationalise the revenue that is created by football. And in this sense there is nothing more healthy and the way to do this is that the honorary of each participant and to reduce the games.
And that there is absolutely transparency of the incoming and outgoings within a structure of a club. If you listen to everything I've just said there are no new ideas. I'm only repeating what's been talked about. It has the problems and the solutions. The messages that I am repeating have been somewhere else from people who are more capable than I am about the subject.
The formation and the preparation of the players improves the spectacle of the game. And you can't aspire to earn more by playing less games. The solution can't be that every time there is more teams that compete in the biggest competitions. For me, the reasons should be that there should be more teams that are deserving to compete in these competitions. Because you see that there is a sector that are aspiring that only the big clubs should compete in these competitions. The conclusion of this is that more teams should participate in these competitions. This has two consequences that if this competition is carried out, then the spectacle increases for only 20 teams.
If you go on increasing the amount of games that are played in all these competitions that there currently are, then the spectacle is also not going to improve. What Germany and England have done is thought about what will happen in ten years time and they have invested money in their grass roots and formation and preparation of players. This has given them results.
So to sum up, which is a virtue that I don't have, my idea is that the quality and the spectacle improves, leaving space for preparation, avoiding the excess of injuries due to the excess of games that we have as this has a big cost, not being able to count on players. Because you have to have more players, thinking that some of them will not be able to participate and to improve the quality of the squad due to the formation of the players.
The last game against Manchester United, the scoreline most of us agree was unfair - but what do you need to do significantly better this time around against Manchester United?
For every game we go into it trying to score and trying to avoid conceding.
Of course what happened in that last game we have present in our minds. The measures to try and avoid conceding goals they have some tactical aspects and strategic aspects. They have to implement the ideas and then try to impose them. You have to recognise the characteristics of the opponent's forwards and try to organise our players on the field so they can pick up the protagonists in Man United's play. We try to match them up with players in our team who are up to the challenge of neutralising them.
Joe Gelhardt has been on the bench quite a bit lately - if he does get to play, where do you see him playing? What are his main attributes for you?
His natural position is as a centre-forward. He's a player who has a great capacity to finish off moves. And he's a player who has dribbling skills in the final third and just before the finalisation of the move.
Can you update us with the team news please? Are the likes of Rodrigo and Raphinha available against Manchester United?
With Raphinha we are controlling his evolution on a daily basis. And up until now he hasn't recovered sufficiently to be able to train again.
Rodrigo is still injured and wont play.
I don't think that the path for a solution is for these clubs to be punished but to convince what is best and to come up with rules of acceptance in general and make sure that these rules are adhered to.
When a rule is broken and this forces a sanction, it means that the process before that was not efficient. And the leadership of the organisation to administer the interests of everybody is to create rules that everyone is able to adhere to because they've all accepted them.
I am of the opinion that punishment is more for authority and shows that the quality of the efficiency of the rules was not up to standard.
There has been protests at games this week against the European Super League. Now that that proposal is dead, would you appeal for calm at Sunday's game, especially because it's Manchester United who are coming?
I always hope that there is calmness. And in this case, singling out the players I don't think is adequate and I think this subject has already been consumed. Football and a classic game like this, there is a grade of excitement that is absolutely enough. The most clear demand from this episode is to put the focus on the competition.
When you look at the defensive improvements since Old Trafford, how much do you put to the tactical work, the greater maturity that you spoke about and how much is it about having players of the quality of Llorente more often?
Fundamentally, the last two points that you pointed out is much more important than the capacity of those who interpret the role and the evolution of it.
In any case the structure defensively, the whole team is responsible, not just certain
players. The position of centre-back is where we've suffered the most absences, tThere has been no player who has substituted those who have been absent who has done it badly. There has been an improvement with different defenders because the team has improved.
When we spoke to you after the Arsenal defeat earlier this year you said one way to develop the squad for the Premier League is to give young players regular minutes. Do you think this is something you'll look to do towards the end of the season?
One of the great consequences of this first year in the Premier League is that Meslier, Tyler, Pascal and Shackleton have been able to demonstrate that they deserve to be in a squad of 18-20 players in the Premier League and when you see the price of a player of a Premier League squad in the upper two-thirds of the league, to bring through four players we see clearly the importance of these players coming through the academy for the project at Leeds.
It's not about putting in players that are young, it's about playing them because they deserve to play over those players who play more regularly or that they can take advantage of absences by showing that they have the level they are required.

Ian Poveda played for the first time since January on Monday - what did you make of his performance and how he is progressing this season?
He hasn't had the luck of Tyler where he's been able to play many games. For any player to play, they have to show they are in better conditions to play than the player who is currently occupying the position. Or that there is spaces in the team, for reasons that are not to do with performance.
In this sense, Poveda hasn't had many opportunities because Raphinha and Harrison have played more. And when either of those two have been absent, Helder Costa has played.
But he is a player with a great capacity to unbalance. He is a player who has dribbling skills that are difficult to decipher. But like I was saying about Tyler, he needs to create these attempts into something that impacts the game. And there's also a question that is indefensible, that you have to be able to play to gain conclusions in this sense and he's had very few minutes to show the conditions like this, not because he doesn't deserve them but because I've taken decisions that have positioned him behind Raphinha, Harrison and Helder Costa.
But in some way he deserves more minutes due to the quality that he has.
How was Adam Forshaw after he played for the U23s and what is the plan for him now?
He picked up a muscular injury in that last game and this will keep him out for a period of time which is yet to be defined.
How do you feel Tyler Roberts is progressing after this run of games which h has been able to enjoy?
He has played many games in a row and he has shown he has the resources to justify his place in the team. He has virtues that are very difficult to find in football at the moment. He has all the resources necessary to unbalance offensively and clearly he still has a lot to grow to make these attempts useful and efficient.
He has many virtues and he needs to impact on Leeds' offensive game in accordance to the virtues that he has. Clearly there are not many players with this creative capacity
You side has conceded just six goals at home this calendar year. At a time when so many teams are struggling with their home record, what would you say the reasons behind a strong defensive record are?
I think that there's been a growth and a maturity of the team in general. The development and the experience to be able to play every game.
This experience means be able to take the correct decisions. When a team reaches this state of maturity, they make less errors which is the consequence that is most direct and it elevates the stablility and production of the team. We have to show this once every week.
From a neutral's perspective it's quite hard to describe Man United's playing style - how would you define them as a team?
The more simple the football is, the better it is. This principle is supported when the players do what they should do and this involves what they are best doing.
In this sense, Manchester United is an example of this. They do what they know best how to do and this has permitted them to create a style. That the game is simple to decipher. This is a praise. Because to be able to play simple is very difficult and when we manage to achieve it it is very satisfying
You've been at the club for nearly three years now, could you give us a sense of what it could mean for the Leeds fans to beat Manchester United on Sunday?
I know perfectly what it means to play in a classic game. It's something that has built up through many years, relaying the feelings of the fans.
I know the effect that the result will have on the emotion of the people.
It looks like the European Super League has unraveled. What steps would you like to see to stop these power grabs from happening again?
Those are decisions that are taken and consider a lot of aspects and the majority of the aspects that are considered is out of my reach or capacity to analyse.
But I do think it's a good opportunity to have a look at the problems in football in a global sense. There are things that shouldn't be ignored like the fact that we should reduce the amount of games that are played, improving the quality of games that are played, and a path to better the quality of the games is to make better the players and for that there needs to be more space for preparation. And to lower the fatigue of the players due to the constant games.
And another aspect that is fundamental for football to be more even is that there is a higher amount of quality players. How you manage this is a lot of time and investment on the formation of players. For example, Germany and England have projects in this aspect. They have generations of great players come through which shows that this is possible. And for the newer generations to stay linked with football, the spectacle has to be improved. It's about focusing on these aspects. Better players, better prepared and better performances. And to rationalise the revenue that is created by football. And in this sense there is nothing more healthy and the way to do this is that the honorary of each participant and to reduce the games.
And that there is absolutely transparency of the incoming and outgoings within a structure of a club. If you listen to everything I've just said there are no new ideas. I'm only repeating what's been talked about. It has the problems and the solutions. The messages that I am repeating have been somewhere else from people who are more capable than I am about the subject.
The formation and the preparation of the players improves the spectacle of the game. And you can't aspire to earn more by playing less games. The solution can't be that every time there is more teams that compete in the biggest competitions. For me, the reasons should be that there should be more teams that are deserving to compete in these competitions. Because you see that there is a sector that are aspiring that only the big clubs should compete in these competitions. The conclusion of this is that more teams should participate in these competitions. This has two consequences that if this competition is carried out, then the spectacle increases for only 20 teams.
If you go on increasing the amount of games that are played in all these competitions that there currently are, then the spectacle is also not going to improve. What Germany and England have done is thought about what will happen in ten years time and they have invested money in their grass roots and formation and preparation of players. This has given them results.
So to sum up, which is a virtue that I don't have, my idea is that the quality and the spectacle improves, leaving space for preparation, avoiding the excess of injuries due to the excess of games that we have as this has a big cost, not being able to count on players. Because you have to have more players, thinking that some of them will not be able to participate and to improve the quality of the squad due to the formation of the players.
The last game against Manchester United, the scoreline most of us agree was unfair - but what do you need to do significantly better this time around against Manchester United?
For every game we go into it trying to score and trying to avoid conceding.
Of course what happened in that last game we have present in our minds. The measures to try and avoid conceding goals they have some tactical aspects and strategic aspects. They have to implement the ideas and then try to impose them. You have to recognise the characteristics of the opponent's forwards and try to organise our players on the field so they can pick up the protagonists in Man United's play. We try to match them up with players in our team who are up to the challenge of neutralising them.
Joe Gelhardt has been on the bench quite a bit lately - if he does get to play, where do you see him playing? What are his main attributes for you?
His natural position is as a centre-forward. He's a player who has a great capacity to finish off moves. And he's a player who has dribbling skills in the final third and just before the finalisation of the move.
Can you update us with the team news please? Are the likes of Rodrigo and Raphinha available against Manchester United?
With Raphinha we are controlling his evolution on a daily basis. And up until now he hasn't recovered sufficiently to be able to train again.
Rodrigo is still injured and wont play.
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