Warnock’s ire rises waiting for Austin to return

The United manager is sweating on the fitness of 27-year-old Austin after he played the full 90 minutes of Jamaica’s 4-1 World Cup qualifier win over Antigua and Barbuda on Tuesday night.

Austin had sat out all but the 
final 13 minutes of the 2-1 defeat to Guatemala a week ago due to an ankle injury he had aggravated playing for Leeds and Warnock was hoping his midfielder would be able to do the same in midweek.

However, with the Reggae Boyz needing to win to reach the next phase of World Cup qualification, Austin started as Theodore Whitmore’s side claimed the three points required to progress to the next group stage, which is due to start in February next year.

Warnock’s unhappiness with Jamaica has since been deepened by Austin being booked an economy flight home, fuelling fears that being cramped up for the 10-hour plus flight could further aggravate the injury.

As of last night, Warnock was still unclear as to when the midfielder he signed from SK Brann for £300,000 in the summer would return to Leeds.

He said: “I am disappointed we have a Friday night game during an international break, especially when I’ve got someone who has been playing for Jamaica.

“Why do we have international breaks but then have to play on a Friday?

“It is scandalous. I don’t know what money we get (for being shown live by Sky) but I do believe it is wrong for us to have a game on a Friday of an international break.

“Rudy has an injury, and we have a player coming back either Thursday night or Friday morning to play Friday night. That isn’t right.

“The Jamaican FA also gave him an economy flight home. That is scandalous. We have been trying to get him upgraded but I don’t know if that happened or not.

“I don’t know where he is in the world, other than he was due back (yesterday).”

Austin has proved a huge hit since moving to the Championship from Norway and already has three goals to his name from 13 appearances.

For Warnock, the capture of the powerful midfielder brought a successful end to a pursuit he had first begun when manager of Queen’s Park Rangers.

Austin spent time on trial at Loftus Road and was keen to sign only for Rangers to baulk at the size of the fee demanded by Brann.

Warnock said: “Rudy could play in any team in the country on his day. He has shown why I offered £2m for him at QPR. But they wanted £2.5m and Flavio (Briatore, owner) thought that was too much.

“I think you have seen this season that, when fit, he is worth that money.

“He was carrying the injury against Barnsley (when Leeds signed off with a 1-0 win before the international break). An ankle problem, and that is why he didn’t start the first game over there.

“But because they lost, I imagine they asked him to play (on Tuesday). And he is such a big hearted lad that he’ll have said yes.

“If he is not 100 per cent fit then he shouldn’t play. But the pressure these people will put on him after losing a game must be horrendous. You don’t want to let your country down.

“I haven’t got a clue at the moment if Rudy will be fit.”

If Austin’s ankle injury means he cannot face Wednesday, his place is likely to be taken by David Norris – a summer target for the Owls before the Portsmouth midfielder opted for Elland Road.

Tonight’s fixture seems certain to attract the Championship’s biggest crowd of the season. The previous best is the 28,707 who watched the East Midlands derby between Nottingham Forest and Derby County in September, while Hillsborough’s top attendance was the 26,598 for the visit of Bolton Wanderers.

Warnock added: “To have the best part of 30,000 fans there for a Friday night game that is being shown live on television, that shows what potential there is at both clubs.

“This could quite easily be a Premier League fixture. Leeds United feels healthy again. It has a soul in it. The team have responded.

“We aren’t the finished article by a long way and we haven’t got the money of teams like Leicester, Cardiff and so on.

“But it is not always money that is the answer. It helps, of course it does. But I enjoy pitting my wits against teams like that.”

Warnock, as a former manager of Wednesday’s bitter Steel City rivals, is likely to be afforded his usual rough reception from the natives in S6.

Michael Brown, Paddy Kenny and, if fit, Michael Tonge could also be in for a hostile welcome due to their Bramall Lane links.

The Leeds manager said: “Everyone is looking forward to it, not just the Sheffield United lads. But, with no disrespect to Leeds, the Sheffield derby was always the big one.

“It is a unique derby and nothing like the Sheffield Wednesday derby. This season, in the Championship this is the main one. Both sets of fans will turn out and form will go out of the window.

“When that whistle goes, it’ll be like Wacky Races for 20 minutes. I doubt the ball will touch the floor because both teams will be determined to do well.”