Stuart Dallas hailed amid Leeds United ‘love’ as Dani van den Heuvel reaches ‘indescribable’ milestone after car crash
Dani van den Heuvel has credited Leeds United teammate Stuart Dallas as being a key amid the “love” he has felt at the club during his recovery from a serious road accident.
The Whites keeper told Voetbal Zone (8 September) that “the accident changed my life” and called it an “indescribable feeling” for him to be with the Dutch under-21s set-up for the first time, while praising his Elland Road teammate for his role in ensuring the youngster “never felt alone” at the club.
The Northern Irishman has also been recovering long-term from a broken leg suffered the season before last, having not featured since the injury against Manchester City on 30 April 2022.
Van Den Heuvel said: “After the accident I had to take it easy for a while. When I got the green light to start building everything, I immediately started working with the KNVB physios and doctors. They helped me initially, so I could stay with my family in the Netherlands a little longer.
“When I was fit enough to fly I went back to Leeds and the physios and doctors took over there. I have become very fit and even feel fitter than before the accident. I trained myself completely and was even allowed to join the first team again. After that I didn’t really have any problems anymore, fortunately.
“Obviously my family, they were always with me. The love I received at Leeds also helped me, it really is a family. In the main squad you also have a number of older players who have been out of circulation for a while. Stuart Dallas for example, he helped me a lot to stay positive.
“He is currently also suffering from a nasty injury, which allowed me to talk to him well. Such an experienced player has already experienced everything, so that is extremely valuable. We often had the same training times, so I never felt alone.”
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Van Den Heuval’s recovery from the accident which had him fearing for his life has been remarkable, and the 20-year-old’s resilience is highly impressive.
The speed with which he has returned from it has been rapid in the circumstances, while Dallas’ absence from action continues.
The 32-year-old’s reputation as the Leeds United iron man came to an abrupt end with the rare fracture he suffered at the tail end of the relegation escape under Jesse Marsch.
A lot has changed at the club since he was ruled out, with the Whites since running through four first-team managers, getting relegated to the Championship, and being sold from Andrea Radrizzani to the San Francisco 49ers.
And yet, if he were fit now he would stand as good a chance as ever to be asked to fill in at left-back, as he so often did as part of his extensive usage as an answer to every problem at Elland Road.
Van den Heuval’s route to senior action remains crowded with Illan Meslier’s unexpected stay at the club this summer, along with the addition of Karl Darlow.
But Dallas, although right-back and central midfield has been added to during the window, would likely be in with a shout at left-back if he is able to make a full return this season.
Daniel Farke was unable to provide a timescale for that last month so for now he remains unavailable for the Whites boss [Yorkshire Evening Post, 4 August].
In other Leeds United news, Andrea Radrizzani has pointed the finger back at Angus Kinnear over Elland Road contracts after the CEO’s interview.