Football Today: Gossip, news and more - Confidence rising at Leeds | Helan set to retire from football | Phelan close to signing Hull City deal

That is the defiant message from Whites midfielder Pablo Hernandez, one of the star turns in Saturday’s 2-0 televised victory at Cardiff City.

Hernandez fired a stunning second goal to crown a fine afternoon for Leeds, on the up to 15th place after their second victory in five games.

After a tough start to the campaign, Leeds are showing signs of progress, with the weekend win at Cardiff providing a transfusion of confidence, according to the Spaniard.

He said: “It was very important for us to win two games in a week because we have not started the season very well.

“Now with these two wins I think the team can go up in confidence and keep more calm.

“For the confidence of the team it’s unbelievable these two wins.”

“You win one game and you go up three or four positions. But if you lose one game you go four or five positions down.

“It is too early (to make predictions) and the key now is to only think about the next game and to keep this performance going. With this performance the team can win a lot more games.”

Leeds return to action tomorrow night with an EFL Cup date at home to Blackburn Rovers.


READ MORE - United find their swagger

Sheffield Wednesday full-back Jeremy Helan is set to announce his retirement from professional football at the age of 24 - in order to devote his life to religion.

The devout Muslim has reportedly been considering retirement for some time, with his departure from the club expected to be confirmed shortly.

Helan, who joined the Owls from Manchester City in 2013, reportedly intends to travel to Saudi Arabia in order to dedicate himself to his religion.

Helan has featured once this season for Wednesday, in the 2-1 EFL Cup loss to Cambridge United.


READ MORE - HERE

The end game regarding Mike Phelan officially becoming Hull City’s permanent manager looks to finally be close, with a resolution expected shortly.

The 53-year-old likely to speak with Tigers vice-chairman Ehab Allam today after receiving a contract offer late last week.

Phelan, who has hinted that he has received some key assurances regarding his future, without specifically going into detail, said: “I know where I want to go and what I want to do. It is a case of speaking to the people who can make that happen.

“I would be silly to say there is not a financial thing, but it is also the opportunity to do the job you want to do in the Premier League. It is a case of just reflecting and speaking to the powers that be and let us get it going. “I am sure I am all the news because this is only club in Premier League without a permanent manager. It will get done sooner rather than later.”

And from a little further afield ...

Midfield bad boy Joey Barton continues to make the national news, with Rangers today suspending the 34-year-old for three weeks, six days after he was sent home from training following a heated argument with a team-mate.

Barton, who admitted he said some “inappropriate things” to fellow midfielder and former Bradford City player Andy Halliday, returned to Ibrox for a meeting on Monday.

A Gers statement said the club and manager Mark Warburton felt all parties now needed “time and space”.

It added neither the club nor Barton would make “any further statement”.

The verbal altercation between Barton and Halliday came as Rangers players reviewed their 5-1 loss to Celtic.