Leeds United: Warnock’s relief as McCormack decides to stay

The Scottish international signed a new three-year deal last Friday and celebrated 24 hours later by setting up Luciano Becchio’s winner against Wolverhampton Wanderers as Leeds’s Championship season got underway.

McCormack, who was in the final year of his existing contract, had been a summer target for Huddersfield Town and Crystal Palace, while Everton had also watched the striker in action during pre-season before deciding to look elsewhere.

For Warnock, who lost talisman Robert Snodgrass to Norwich City in a £3m deal during the summer, holding on to a striker who netted 19 goals in 2011-12 was paramount so the 63-year-old was understandably delighted with last Friday’s turn of events.

He told the Yorkshire Post: “Ross signing his contract was a great boost for everyone. I was delighted when it got done, I really was.

“All credit to (chief executive) Shaun Harvey and the chairman (Ken Bates) for getting it done. I asked them (last week) if it could be done before kick-off.

“I think we saw the result of that as Ross played with a relief and freedom that he hasn’t had of late. And that helped everyone.

“I don’t think we could have let him go, I really don’t. We would have had to make him stay for the final year and sod his moods.

“He was terrible at Burton (in pre-season on August 7) when we were quibbling about his contract. I didn’t want to go through that, which is why I was so glad Shaun and the chairman came up trumps because without it we couldn’t have coped.

“After what happened at Burton, I said to him before Shrewsbury (who United beat 4-0 in the Capital One Cup), ‘Ross, if you are going to be as bad as that again then I will play young Dominic (Poleon)’.

“But he said he’d be okay and needed the game. So it was good to put the contract to bed.”

Warnock has made 10 permanent signings this summer and another, El-Hadji Diouf, is expected to follow this week with the former Senegal international set to be offered a 12-month contract.

But the Leeds manager is in no doubt as to how important 
McCormack and strike partner Becchio are to the club’s ambitions in the coming season.

He said: “The way we play helps Ross as it can bring the best out of him. You need someone like him.

“I had (Adel) Taarabt at QPR and you need a McCormack, someone who can unlock the door – like he did against Wolves.

“Becchio has to keep fit because if he does then he can do anything. We have goals in the side. The one thing is there is not a lot of pace between him and Ross so we need runs made from midfield.

“We have to compensate for that but if we get Ross in the right areas, he will be a nuisance.

“I thought Becchio did well against Wolves. I said before that I didn’t want him looking for free-kicks. Sometimes he gets in that mode, where he is doing it even before the ball comes. And when he does, his games goes.

“But against Wolves, he concentrated on doing what he is good at and that rubbed off on the others.”

McCormack and Becchio combined for United’s winner, though it was perhaps the 40-yard pass from goalkeeper Paddy Kenny to the Scottish international that most caught the eye.

Warnock added: “It was some move, wasn’t it? A great pass from Paddy, a great cross and a great finish.

“Paddy whacked two balls in training, both about 65 yards, and to within an inch of the target. He said, ‘Is that okay lads? Was the lace the right way up?’

“He is great to have around and such a great distributor of a ball. From defence to attack in a couple of seconds.

“I was so glad to see Becchio there. It wasn’t an easy finish.”

As delighted as Warnock was with the performance that brought United three points on the opening day for the first time since 2009, he is still keen to strengthen.

Frederic Piquionne will not, however, be joining despite speculation last week that the former Doncaster Rovers striker would be the next new arrival at Elland Road.

Warnock, who admits Paul Green’s knee injury makes him a major doubt ahead of tomorrow’s trip to Blackpool, said: “No, that story (about Piquionne) was a flyer.

“But I am still looking to bring someone in – even though we don’t want (recently transfer-listed) Danny Pugh to go.

“Ideally, I would like to keep him and get someone else in. But the finances have to be balanced. We do need more.

“You look at the (match-day) programme and the difference between the number of names in our squad compared to Wolves was massive. It is a bit embarrassing really.

“Having said that, we are also a close-knit group at the minute so I am not panicking.”

Elsewhere in the Championship, Barnsley and Hull City also enjoyed winnings starts with 1-0 wins over Middlesbrough and Brighton & Hove Albion, respectively.

Promoted Sheffield Wednesday also claimed reward from the opening-day trip to Derby County after Dave Jones’s side hit back from two goals down to rescue a point.

York City returned to Football League action after an eight-year absence but lost to Wycombe.