Sky Sports pundit admits ‘selfish’ Leeds United point of view as Joe Gelhardt expected to seek exit
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Paul Robinson admits from a “selfish point of view” he would like Leeds United to keep the squad in tact through the January window but accepts that Joe Gelhardt is bound to want to go and play somewhere else.
The Sky Sports pundit believes the young forward is caught in a “tough” situation because he is stuck behind regular starters Joel Piroe and Georginio Rutter, while Patrick Bamford’s return to fitness has pushed him further down the pecking order.
Gelhardt, 21, has only made five Championship appearances all season, with just a minute of action in the past three months, and after 18 games on loan at Sunderland in the second half of the previous campaign his current usage is not expected to be enough to prevent him looking for game time elsewhere again.
Speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News he said: “I think it’s tough for him because of the players he’s got ahead of him. You look at Piroe, who’s come in this year, Rutter’s scoring goals, Patrick Bamford’s back fit again, so he finds himself back down the pecking order.
“It’s difficult for him. On a personal level he’ll want to go out and he’ll want to play, like he did last season, went out on loan, scored goals and played, and played well.
“From the club’s point of view they want to get in the Premier League and they want to keep the squad together. We know Patrick Bamford’s injury reliability isn’t as it should be. If he suffers and injury or a set back, or should Piroe or Rutter, or anyone else suffer an injury then Gelhardt will be used.
“From a selfish point of view, from the club’s point of view and the manager’s point of view they’re going to want to keep him. But from the player’s personal development and the player’s point of view he’s going to want to go and play and score goals because that’s what he does.
“He’s at an age now where it’s not nice for him to be involved with the first team and not playing any more. When you’re a youngster and you’re making your way in the game you’re involved in the first team and playing, you’re in match-day squads and it’s all well and good, it’s a good achievement.
“But for him personally he’s at an age now where that’s not enough because of the taste of football that he had last year. For him personally he’ll be wanting to play games.”
A couple of years ago Gelhardt looked like he was on the brink of becoming Leeds United’s next star man for the foreseeable future after some dramatic contributions in the relegation battle under Jesse Marsch.
And yet in the time since he has arguably gone backwards after a succession of managers spoke highly of him without backing it up in practice.
If Daniel Farke doesn’t see a pressing use for him right now then it would be no surprise to see the forward go the same way as Sam Greenwood and move on, even on a permanent basis.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay reports that a possible Whites contract offer is certain to be rejected by one youngster.