Patrick Bamford opens up on Leeds United dressing room divide with honest admission
Patrick Bamford revealed there was a divide in the Leeds United dressing room around the time of Marcelo Bielsa’s sacking in 2022.
The Argentine was relieved from his duties at Elland Road following a 4-0 loss to Tottenham in February 2022 after a run of four straight Premier League defeats.
Bielsa brought Bamford to Leeds in the same year as his arrival in 2018 and the forward revealed on The 72+ EFL podcast [9 October] the divide within the dressing room leading up to the dismissal.
He said: “It was tough and, to be honest, I took it badly because when Marcelo got sacked I was injured from October until he left the club.
“So maybe with a little bit of an ego, I thought if I was fit, the team would have functioned the way it had before and we’d have been alright and then he wouldn’t have had to leave.
“So I was a little bit gutted and it was sad to see him go. I think at that point there was a bit of a divide in the changing room, you sometimes get that when a team is struggling, you start to see people’s true colours.”
Daniel Farke must aim to avoid Marcelo Bielsa treatment at Leeds United
Daniel Farke has endured mixed fortunes at Leeds throughout the start of the season and anything other than Premier League promotion would be a massive failure for his side.
The German bears the weight of the entire club on his shoulders. The longer the Whites continue to drop points in the league, the more speculation will emerge regarding his long-term future at Elland Road.
Bielsa remains a loved figure among the Leeds faithful despite his controversial dismissal. Bamford’s revelation should act as a warning for Farke as reports emerge his players, particularly Junior Firpo, will not hang around for another season in the second tier [Graeme Bailey].
Illan Meslier’s blunder in the 3-3 draw with Sunderland at the Stadium of Light is the latest in a long line of underwhelming performances against promotion-chasing sides this term – a record that must end when Farke’s men host Sheffield United after the international break.
While the Whites boast one of the strongest squads in the Championship despite the growing injury list, the players are failing to perform to the required standard and a revolt similar to the one described by Bamford could be on the cards if results drop off.
In other Leeds United news, Mateo Joseph shares exit stance at Elland Road as Liverpool transfer is mooted.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.