Leeds United

Comedian Joe Wilkinson has always wanted a professional footballer to be his mate.

Step forward Leeds United striker Patrick Bamford, who is involved in this podcast to work out if the pair really can become true friends.

Wilkinson is a lifelong Gillingham supporter and wants to discover what it takes to play the game at the highest level - because you can't support a friend without understanding what they've gone through and the challenges they face.

Bamford will answer any question Wilkinson thinks of so expect insight and stories from inside the dressing room as the co-hosts get to know each other.

Listen to episode one now on BBC Sounds

Warning: some strong language

Adam Pope, BBC Radio Leeds

Michael Skubala was appointed Lincoln City head coach this week and becomes the fourth consecutive permanent Leeds United Under-21s coach to land a managerial role in the Football League after leaving the club.

He follows Mark Jackson, now at Central Coast Mariners after a spell at MK Dons, and West Bromwich Albion's Carlos Corberan, who left Marcelo Bielsa's staff before taking Huddersfield Town to a play-off final prior to a short spell at Olympiakos.

Before that, Neil Redfearn was promoted to first-team duties at Elland Road before going to Rotherham United. Redfearn then worked in the women's game for many years before this week returning to the men's game to be appointed Bradford City's lead professional development phase coach in charge of the under-19s side.

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Skubala, 41, has more than 20 years of elite coaching experience, including several roles with the Football Association, culminating in being part of the England under-18 team. He took charge of United's first team for a three-game interim period during a difficult spell last season after the sacking of Jesse Marsch, with the highlight a very creditable 2-2 draw at Old Trafford.

More notably, Skubala's body of work has been most successful with the under-21s, who last season won promotion to Premier League 2 Division 1 before it was restructured.

The popular former England national team men's coach's rise has inevitably led to him being identified as someone who can improve a young squad. He goes with the club's best wishes to Lincoln City, whose chairman Clive Nates explained why he is an ideal fit.

"We see this as a progressive appointment - Michael shares our ethos on player development, style of play and ambition. He has a clear vision for how he implements this and a track record of developing talented young players."

Skubala has to be seen as a success story for United's academy. However, his departure comes in a week when midfielder Finley Gorman, 15, is reportedly set to leave for Manchester City for a seven-figure fee, so serves as a reminder how difficult it is for clubs to keep hold of their talented staff.

Adonis Storr, The Roaring Peacock, external

From the perch of Holbeck Park, Elland Road juts out from the landscape. It's an iconic sight that stirs the heart. However, on closer inspection, the home of Leeds United is a crumbling monument to the club's past.

But the transformation of Elland Road has begun.

After a viral social media thread earlier this year showed that parts of the ground could have passed as the set of a post-apocalyptic film, new owners 49ers Enterprises committed to change.

Leeds fans do not expect Michelin-star hospitality, but even the long-overdue 220 new toilet seats, fresh paint and bars are appreciated improvements.

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Elland Road has a history of unrealised plans from Peter Risdale's Skelton Lake proposal, to Ken Bates' hotel. But the 49ers plans to expand the ground to 55,000 capacity are more realistic than any from previous regimes, and will be triggered should Leeds get promoted.

Home form is key to any manager but particularly to Daniel Farke, still unbeaten at Elland Road, which is a record for a Leeds manager after his first eight games.

The 49ers and the 20,000 fans on a waiting list for a season ticket will hope that promotion will mean an Elland Road is no longer frozen in the past, but instead befitting of the future.

Leeds have confirmed Michael Skubala has left his role as coach of the club's under-21 side to become head coach at Lincoln City.

"Whilst everyone is disappointed to see a coach of Skubala’s quality leave the club, we are proud to see another member of staff progress from our academy at Thorp Arch, into an English Football League first team role," the club said.

"Talented coaching duo Scott Gardner and Rob Etherington will now take up new positions at the club on an interim basis. Gardner will step up from under-18s head coach to lead the under-21s, with Etherington moving from under-18s assistant coach to become under-18s head coach.

"Everyone at Leeds United would like to thank Michael for his effort and time spent developing players, and for taking over as interim head coach of the first team in difficult circumstances last season."

Have you listened to the brand new episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet? You can access a lookback on the win over Plymouth and a whole lot more here

Kaizer Chiefs' Simon Rix spoke about attending Leeds United's Q and A with new chairman Paraag Marathe on the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast: "Paraag didn't want it to be a media event, he says he wants to be a background guy in the club. He doesn't want to be the guy making the headlines which is nice to hear.

"He just wanted to meet some fans and hear some opinions. It was just meeting a guy and getting to know his background. It was quite professional and slick. It felt fairly safe.

"It's nice to have someone who isn't crazy in charge! He isn't just saying loads of crazy stuff. He seems to know the job and wants to do a good job. He wants to use a team, and employ people who are specialists in certain areas.

"He did talk about the 49ers, and when he took the 49ers, it was a global brand that had won a load of Super Bowls, but it was one of the worst teams in the NFL. Last year they got into the play-offs. They are doing better now, and have a nice shiny new stadium. Leeds aren't in as bad of a position as they were in."

On a stadium expansion, Rix said: "They are going to do the stadium, they are going to start with the West Stand and then the North Stand. If we get promoted, the 49ers will get on with it. It would take a couple of years because they want to do it in situ."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds here

Image source, Getty Images

Crysencio Summerville is a "deserving" winner of the Championship's player-of-the-month award for October, but Daniel Farke has played down the importance of individual prizes.

The young winger - who joined Leeds in the summer of 2020 - scored five goals and made three assists in five starts across the month, helping his side to four wins and moving them up to third in the table.

Manager Farke praised the 22-year-old who he feels "100% deserves" the award and says he believes for "young human beings it is important to get good feedback, recognition and confidence boosts".

"If you ask me why it is so well deserved, it is not just because of his goals or his assists or his really good performances, it is also because of the workload and the shifts he has put in," said the Leeds boss.

However, Farke also explained he does not like to take such individual awards "too seriously".

He added: "As a group we are not bothered about it - it is not important.

"In all honesty I am not interested in this. I understand in these days we have to create more and more individual awards because it is a big topic for the public and also it is nice to get some pictures for social media.

"But, for me the most important picture is when he celebrates a great block on the wing in order to stop a cross from an opponent or he is there with a goal. I'm not too bothered by individual awards."

Adam Pope, BBC Radio Leeds

Daniel Farke has held his news conference to preview the visit of Plymouth Argyle in the Championship on Saturday.

Here are the key lines as Leeds look to enter the international break with a third consecutive victory:

• Pascal Struijk has had hernia surgery and will miss this weekend. It is uncertain when he will be available. Also out are Jamie Shackleton, Djed Spence and Joe Gelhardt, who does not required surgery on his fractured hand.

• Meanwhile, Charlie Cresswell (personal reasons) and Patrick Bamford (illness) have missed some training sessions this week.

• Spurs loanee Joe Rodon will not be recalled in January and will be at Elland Road until the summer: "He has been brilliant for us."

• On Willy Gnonto after reports linked him with a return to Italy in January: "I'm not tempted to speak too much about the future of individual players. Since the beginning of September, we can concentrate on football. I'm just focused on my team."

• He explained there is a lot of trust in the dressing room where the players demand a mirror is held up to their performances. "There is no sugar coating."

• On Plymouth's "cheeky" style and how Leeds must not treat this as "another day at the office because if we do, then we have no chance of the points": "We must be more spot on than when we were at Leicester."

• Finally, he is very wary of ensuring his players do not rest on the laurels of all the praise after victory at the leaders last time out.

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Adam Pope, BBC Radio Leeds

When referring to the San Francisco 49ers Enterprises' previous minority shareholding under predecessor Andrea Radrizzani, Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe uses the analogy that being a passenger on someone else's plane did not make for the most comfortable of rides.

No more backseat driving for Marathe and his colleagues now though. Their hands are 100 per cent on the wheel steering the club, team and ground development forward.

Five years in the wings for the 49ers has been time to learn the dos and don'ts of running a club - a club they have seen promoted to and relegated from the Premier League. The latter is not something the 49ers want their prints on but now they are stamping their mark.

Shrewd appointments in manager Daniel Farke, loanee defender Joe Rodon and the purchase of midfielder Ethan Ampadu indicate they have worked out how to construct a team fit for purpose. Standing up to dissenter Luis Sinisterra shows a foot-down approach is in tandem with the other being put forward.

Strong leadership has brought a culture of fortitude and change. Six clean sheets, an ability to come from behind in matches and a swagger when storming forward means Farke's team is a brave one.

This is no accident. Marathe knew he could make an impact on the football operations side by restructuring the personnel infrastructure. Farke, technical director Gretar Steinsson and interim football advisor Nick Hammond, who is set to stay for another year, are dovetailing effectively in a new winning mentality.

Marathe's intention for United to be a success on and off the pitch is neither a business nor a passion project for him. He says it is not about the profit. Whatever the motives, the pilot's vision is one that investors have been prepared to buy in to.

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Image source, Getty Images

BBC Radio Leeds' Jonny Buchan told the Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast that "the word is spreading" about Archie Gray after another impressive performance for Daniel Farke's side: "If we roll the clock back to when the team news came in and we saw Archie was in and Shackleton wasn’t in the matchday squad, you don’t want to see Shackleton get injured at all but it was like, 'oh well, Archie can come back in now'.

"It wasn’t like: Who’s going to come in there?' He came in and did absolutely brilliantly.

"A friend of mine messaged me during the game and said it was the first time he was able to see Gray and a few weeks ago I had said: 'Archie Gray, England international, watch out for him.'

"He messaged me and said: ‘He’s really good isn’t he?’ And I said: 'Yeah, and he’s out of position.'

"Now the word is spreading. Archie Gray, playing out of position - it tells you what you need to know about how good he is."

Listen to Don't Go To Bed Just Yet on BBC Sounds

Adonis Storr, The Roaring Peacock, external

On Friday, Leeds United secured their sixth clean sheet of the campaign - not bad for a team that conceded more than 150 goals in the previous two seasons.

At the heart of that rejuvenated defence is Tottenham Hotspur loanee Joe Rodon.

Rodon does not seem to come with the baggage Leeds' recent centre-backs have carried. The Welshman eschews the pantomime theatrics of Pontus Jansson and does not have the errors that haunt Liam Cooper. Not since Ben White have Leeds looked so solid in defence.

But what has defined Rodon's season so far is his organisational nous and his fighting spirit. Rodon has the vision to anticipate danger and the courage to fly into tackles and blocks. He emerges from these battles victorious more often than not, with a characteristic grimace on his face.

And Rodon has made those around him better. Illan Meslier and Pascal Struijk look far more comfortable this season by his side.

The mistake Leeds made with White was not having the funds to pay over the odds to make his loan permanent. They should avoid the same mistake.

Should Rodon be available on a permanent transfer, 1 January will not be soon enough to complete the deal.

Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix told BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed podcast that Daniel Farke's side are capable of catching the Championship's top two to finish in the automatic promotion places: "It’s not an insurmountable gap. Everybody feels we can catch Ipswich, but after Friday night, Ipswich could have gone above Leicester if they won both their games in hand.

"It feels like there is such a long way to go. We will have to get two points more than them a month for the rest of the season, but then we will be above them.

"It feels highly achievable. Farke is quite 'slowly, slowly' and isn’t getting too worried about it at the moment. Friday was pivotal - we have shown we can beat them and it wasn’t that difficult."

BBC Radio Leeds' Adam Pope added: "If you go back to 2005-06 when Leeds were constantly chasing Reading and Sheffield United, they then just dived off. They had a bad window and never threatened the top two again.

"You just don’t see that this year. You see them getting better under Farke and being stronger as the season goes on. As much as it sounds daunting to get two points on Leicester every month, they can do it."

Listen to Don't Go To Bed Just Yet on BBC Sounds

Burnley are interested in 22-year-old winger Crysencio Summerville, but Leeds United are not willing to let the Dutchman leave for less than £25m. (Football Insider), external

Want more transfer news? Read Monday's full gossip column

Image source, Getty Images

The Don't Go To Bed Just Yet Panel have been discussing Friday night's huge Championship match away at Leicester City.

Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix said: "Someone's got to stop Leicester's winning run. There are two big problems; we can't defend corners and I think we start pretty slowly.

"If we go one or two behind at Leicester, we won't be able to find our way back like we do against many teams. We've got it in the locker that we can turn it on. We just need to keep it 0-0 and solid in those first 20 minutes and see where we're at.

"Leeds can beat any team in this league."

Commentator Adam Pope added: "I'd say for 75-80% of the season we've seen the Leeds we would expect to see, bearing in mind four or five of those games were in a transitional phase. Apart from that, it's been pretty consistent.

"Are we a 'holding out' sort of side? I don't know. I think if Leeds get on that front foot they can really hurt Leicester as well. I'm not worried about which Leeds turn up - it's just whether they can quite execute it in the right way.

"If they turn up with the same XI as they did last Saturday, I'm confident we can get something on Friday night."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds

Chris Bertram, BBC Sport

Manager Daniel Farke has been speaking to the media before Leeds' Championship match against Leicester City on Friday.

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Farke confirmed centre-back Joe Rodon (hamstring), right-back Sam Byram (hamstring) and forward Crysencio Summerville (muscle) are all available to face the Foxes after joining full team training on Wednesday.

• However, Joe Gelhardt has a hand fracture and, while they await further assessment, he is definitely out for two weeks and may need surgery.

• Also, Djed Spence will not return before the international break but Junior Firpo has been in team training for 10 days after his long-term injury and "is on right path".

• Farke paid tribute to the influence Glen Kamara is having on his generally young squad, saying: "It is important to have experienced players. He has played at Rangers, with lots of pressure to win every game, and has 50 caps for Finland. It was a difficult start for him with no proper pre-season but he gives us lots of quality on the ball and can dictate the rhythm of the game. There is more to come though."

• On the league leaders: "Leicester's points tally is remarkable and you just have to give them credit. They have many top players at Premier League level, stability in the club, and a quality coach. We are full of respect and we know we will have to be at our best, but we will not travel in fear."

• The German denied it was a must-win game if the Whites are to gain automatic promotion by saying, "if it was the 45th game of the season it might be, but not the 15th" and that "whatever happens, both clubs have everything in their own hands".

• Leicester have won 13 of their 14 games with a possession-based game but Farke will not try to simply hit them on the break, saying, "we will never park the bus and just try to counter-attack or just hope for a mistake from our opponents. We are Leeds United and we want to be the protagonists".

• The Leeds boss said he enjoyed Crysencio Summerville and Wilfried Gnonto's celebration against Huddersfield, but added: "I'm from a different generation, however if you are that capable it is definitely allowed and it's good fun. The most important topic are the right moves in football boots not dancing shoes though."

Adonis Storr, The Roaring Peacock, external

As Patrick Bamford demanded to take the penalty against Stoke last week there were gasps and groans. A third penalty miss in a row shocked few – he never looked confident.

Bamford's divisiveness among the Leeds fanbase has been no more audible than the boos that greeted his arrival on Saturday against Huddersfield. Boos that were followed by his name being sung.

The main criticism levelled at Bamford is his goalscoring. He has only converted roughly half of his 'expected goals' during his time at Leeds.

And the criticism Bamford receives has clearly affected him – cupping or covering his ears and gesturing to fans after a goal. His best-performing season was played in empty grounds due to Covid.

Bamford seems to display many of the traits associated with 'performance anxiety' in sports psychology. His thousands of hours of practice mean nothing if he can't maintain the 'expert-induced amnesia' necessary to perform.

And if Bamford's performances don't improve, his time at Leeds must now be limited. It would be sad to see him leave so devoid of confidence and so far from his best.

Leeds fans will hope this latest penalty miss will be the catalyst for Bamford's road to redemption.

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In the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet, the panel discuss Patrick Bamford's penalty miss against Stoke City. Adam Pope said the forward "has gone back several paces" with the miss and added: "if he recovers from this, that's a remarkable mental strength".

Listen to Don't Go To Bed Just Yet on BBC Sounds

In the latest episode of BBC Radio Leeds' Don't Go To Bed Just Yet podcast, Jonny Buchan, Adam Pope and Kaiser Chiefs bassist Simon Rix mull over Saturday's 4-1 win over Huddersfield Town and how - despite the result - the performance left room for improvement.

Buchan: "I think it is OK to come out of Saturday's game feeling a little bit mixed about what was on display. Had Leeds put on the same performance in the second half then I think I would have had a very full plate."

Rix: "The first 11 players were so great but when you duck past that, there doesn't seem to be enough there. On Wednesday [at Stoke], he [Daniel Farke] made changes and it seemed much weaker. Jaidon Anthony, who we had all been looking forward to see play, looked awful."

Pope: "[Crysencio] Summerville and [Dan] James were immense. Summerville has got his own ball at the moment. It doesn't bother me what front four Leeds have because they are all excellent, but when the defence changes they do look a bit more rattled."

Listen to the full episode on BBC Sounds