West Ham v Leeds United: Marcelo Bielsa bewildered by Cody Drameh’s loan exit

Marcelo Bielsa was brimming with pride when he talked about the character some Leeds United players have shown this season, but there was also a sense of bewilderment at some of the younger elements of his squad.

At the grand old age of 66, perhaps the Argentinian should not “get” some of the millennials he manages but the attitude of Cody Drameh and others has left him scratching his head and, as he always does when things do not go to plan, questioning himself. Even his trademark Murderball.

This week Drameh left on loan to Cardiff City.

It seemed an odd thing for a coach with a small squad so badly hit by injuries to do, but Bielsa is not averse to odd things, and certainly not to a risk or two.

Leeds United defender Cody Drameh has dropped down to the Championship with Cardiff City.  Picture Bruce RollinsonLeeds United defender Cody Drameh has dropped down to the Championship with Cardiff City.  Picture Bruce Rollinson
Leeds United defender Cody Drameh has dropped down to the Championship with Cardiff City. Picture Bruce Rollinson
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But when he spoke to the media ahead of a second trip to West Ham United in seven days, this time for a Premier League game, Bielsa admitted he did not want Drameh to go and could not really understand why he wanted to, but felt it was best he did.

“I didn’t think he needed to play games elsewhere,” says Bielsa, ducking the question of whether the disagreement will be held against Drameh when he returns in the summer.

“He was very necessary with all the absentees we have but he preferred to play outside of Leeds.

“The opportunity for the youngsters has increased, clearly, but Drameh would prefer to experiment outside of our team.

Marcelo Bielsa. Picture: Bruce RollinsonMarcelo Bielsa. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
Marcelo Bielsa. Picture: Bruce Rollinson
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“What I imagined as a great opportunity, he imagined in a different way and it’s more important what he thinks.

“When a player wants to leave, there is no point trying to keep them. (At that point), the part I have to play is finished.

“I am not going to oppose it and I apply that to any player that wants to leave. Any player that comes to me and says ‘I don’t want to continue here’ can count on me for them to leave but I am not the only one that decides. The players have contracts and commitments to the club, I limit myself to say the reason why we shouldn’t keep them which is that the player doesn’t want to be here.

“In professional football we have rights and have obligations.”

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The 20-year-old right-back felt he needed more regular football but nowhere in the Premier League is providing youngsters with more opportunities this season, partly because of Bielsa’s belief in a tight senior squad supplemented by youngsters, and partly because of the overcrowding in the Thorp Arch treatment room.

Bielsa says Drameh is not the only youngster to have asked to go on loan.

He has played in three of the last four games. The only players above him in the right-back pecking order are Jamie Shackleton – out until February with an Achilles injury, Stuart Dallas – also cover at left-back, central midfield and probably in goal if it came to it, and first-choice Luke Ayling – who has played the last five league games at centre-back.

“Young players want to come to Leeds because they see there are options,” argues Bielsa. “There are 20 players in the squad every match. I haven’t done this but if you add the minutes each young player has in the 20 man-squads you can see if any from other clubs have half as many.

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“If we hadn’t had 10 injuries, the amount would been a lot lower but there were moments and opportunities for everyone and despite that, the project is not sufficiently attractive for them to finish it.

“When you are so much in disagreement with the new generation and their decisions, that has more to do not with the youngsters but the lack of adaptation, in this case mine.

“When a player is within the 20, plays once a week, plays against the starting team once a week, that competition which is so big, so marked, as it is described as ‘Murderball’ – if a footballer in development says this is no longer good for me, evidently there is an error in the calculation for those who propose this. If not then all of them would want to participate.”

It is rarely in Bielsa’s nature to blame anyone but himself, but in this case it is hard to believe the fault does not lie with the impatience of youth – and their agents.

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If that has had him despairing, at least he has been able to take pride in others within his squad.

“When (Patrick) Bamford was injured against Newcastle, the (ankle) injury was towards the end of the game and I asked him to finish what was left of the game because we needed him and he did,” he says, proudly. “Perhaps that aggravated his injury.

“Rodrigo played for a long time with a knock which eventually forced him to stop and Dallas plays every week with something that would probably rule out another player. Ayling the same, he always has difficulties in his knee.

“Bamford’s (most recent) injury (to his hamstring, which he may return from tomorrow) was caused by an uncoordinated movement when he scored (against Brentford, on his return from the ankle problem) and in the celebration he aggravated that small injury into something important. Perhaps the excess of character jeopardised us.”

As faults go, there are worse.

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No one, though, has had to show more character than Adam Forshaw, who yesterday signed a one-year contract extension with the option of an extra 12 months, 15 appearances after consigning to history his 22-month lay-off with a hip injury.

“He did it by himself with all the support which the club gave him which was a big support but I didn’t participate in his success, I only accompanied him,” stresses Bielsa. “The important part of those two years I wasn’t there with him so I don’t want to super-impose myself on his success.

“Every week he is showing he is a player of a very good level.”

There are some fine characters at Elland Road. Drameh and others would do well to learn from them.

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