Luis Sinisterra issues chaotic Leeds United relegation verdict after controversial exit to Bournemouth
Luis Sinisterra has put relegation at Leeds United down to “too many changes” at manager and injuries to “key players”.
In an interview with BBC Radio Solent (22 September) the Whites winger said that “four managers in one season is a lot” after having Jesse Marsch, Michael Skubala, Javi Gracia and Sam Allardyce in charge for his debut season at Elland Road that ended with the drop.
The 24-year-old said each boss would “take time” to get their ideas across so the upheaval, coupled with important players being unavailable is what sent the club into the Championship.
Sinisterra said of the chaos last term: “Yeah of course, too many changes, styles of play. Different managers always take time to show their style so in the end four managers in one season is a lot.
“Also we had some injuries to key players, especially to key players. I think that’s also one of the reasons why we got relegated.”
Unsustainable
Given the controversial manner of his deadline day loan exit to Bournemouth, with legal action mooted over a release clause that was thought to have expired [The Athletic, 2 September], few Leeds United fans will want to hear it from Sinisterra, but he is right.
The final season under Andrea Radrizzani’s ownership, with Victor Orta running the show as sporting director, was beset with mistakes from start to finish.
Key decisions around Marsch ultimately derailed the campaign, as the American kept his job heading into the World Cup break only to be sacked just after being heavily backed again in the January transfer window.
Angus Kinnear told The Square Ball this month (7 September) that the expected replacement options were then unavailable thanks to Andoni Iraola changing his mind, and Arne Slot misjudging Feyenoord’s insistence on keeping him.
From there the Whites were scrambling to find answers as they panicked at the prospect of a relegation they couldn’t escape, while none of the emergency measures they tried had the desired effect.
An injury to Rodrigo, picked up needlessly against Accrington Stanley when Marsch brought him on late, proved crucial while Sinisterra himself was only fit for half the league games.
That Iraola ended up taking over at Bournemouth this summer, with the Cherries to then become the bane of Leeds’ existence when it came to Max Aarons, Tyler Adams and Sinisterra, will have only infuriated those at Elland Road more.
The club brought a lot of their struggles in recent months on themselves, but even then top flight survival went down to the final day and some better luck might have saved them.
In other Leeds United news, another man who made a loan exit this summer claims the manager helped him make the decision.