Leeds United have made a rather unfortunate gaffe over West Ham and Spurs stars but it’s hard not to take pity.
Leeds United are one of the biggest and proudest clubs in England.
But there’s no hiding the fact they are now lightyears behind the likes of West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.
Failure to win promotion back to the Premier League last season has only widened the gap between Leeds and the West Ham and Tottenham’s of this world.
The Hammers and Spurs are clubs with whom Leeds United should be competing in the top flight.
But as Julen Lopetegui and Ange Postecoglou look to live up to pre-season predictions of challenging for the European spots, Leeds must somehow find their way out of the second tier shorn of some of their top talent.
Crysencio Summerville was not just the best player at Leeds last season, he was officially the best player in the Championship.
West Ham swooped to sign the brilliant Dutch attacker for £26m as part of their major summer rebuild.
West Ham and Spurs lure away top Leeds talent
Tottenham also looked to Leeds to fine tune their squad, paying £30m for the Yorkshire club’s new crown jewel Archie Gray.
Hammers fans are hugely excited by the capture of a player of Summerville’s talents.
Leeds supporters showed real class in giving him a warm send-off.
The Elland Road faithful pointed out the 22-year-old was a consummate professional after their relegation, never agitating to leave and doing his best to help get them back to where they feel they belong.
It was inevitable Summerville would have to be sold this summer if Leeds did not go up and West Ham got him for an excellent fee by modern standards.
Gray perhaps stings even more for Leeds being a homegrown, boyhood fan with strong family links to the club.
Tottenham have already seen just how good – and versatile – the multi-talented young star is.
Again, interest in Gray was inevitable as soon as Leeds failed to get back to the big time.
Throw in the fact Leeds have also now had to sell Georginio Rutter to Brighton and it has been a summer to forget so far.
So it is a shame Leeds did not think a touch more carefully about the future.
Leeds’ unfortunate gaffe over West Ham and Spurs stars
Because Leeds have made a rather unfortunate gaffe over West Ham and Spurs stars but it’s hard not to take pity.
A fan has shared a picture of the front of Leeds’ official 2024 calendar on social media.
It features Gray, now with Spurs, West Ham new boy Summerville and Brighton’s latest signing Rutter.
The fan remarked he can’t see Leeds’ 2024 calendar being a big seller.
From a Leeds perspective it’s a case of – if you don’t laugh you’ll cry.
It will clearly amuse West Ham and Tottenham fans – just as it would Leeds supporters if the shoe was on the other foot.
Of course it’s easy to mock Leeds for the “gaffe”. But the reality is the calendar will have been released in last December ahead of the new year and they were the club’s three top players at the time.
A bit of banter but it’s hard not to take pity
Leeds do not have a crystal ball and would have expected promotion last season.
Indeed had Elland Road chiefs not included the trio that would have become a story in itself.
Leeds would have been accused of a lack of ambition, belief and confidence in the manager and team.
Football is all about banter so this will no doubt raise a wry smile among West Ham and Spurs fans.
Both clubs have been there themselves, though, losing their top players to rivals and having to suffer as a result.
Just last summer Tottenham lost hero Harry Kane and West Ham sold homegrown captain Declan Rice to London rivals Arsenal.
It’s hard not to take pity given Leeds are such a massive club who are clearly suffering.
But perhaps Leeds might want to just stick with the club badge for the front cover of next year’s calendar.