Yorkshire Post 29/8/06
Bakke set to head back home
Brann indicate interest after Leeds show him the door
Richard Sutcliffe
NORWEGIAN league leaders Brann have emerged as a possible destination for Eirik Bakke after the midfielder was told by Leeds United his future lies away from Elland Road.
The 28-year-old exclusively revealed in later editions of yesterday's Yorkshire Post that United manager Kevin Blackwell had told him he would not play for the club again.Bakke, who is in his eighth season with Leeds, netted his first goal for two-and-a-half years in the Carling Cup win over Chester City last week, but he was then left out of the squad to face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Sunday.The transfer window closes on Thursday night and sources in Norway claim Brann are ready to make a move.Talks over a possible return to his native country broke down this time last year when Bakke opted to move on loan to Aston Villa.Brann, who feature ex-Rangers midfielder Charlie Miller and former Aberdeen striker Robbie Winters among their squad, top their league after 18 games.Bakke, who has less than a year remaining on his United contract, trained yesterday with Sogndal – the Norwegian Second Division club from whom he joined Leeds in 1999 for £1.75m – after returning to Norway last week due to the Elland Road squad being given a few days off.On his future, he revealed in yesterday's Yorkshire Post: "I was told by the manager on Wednesday that I was not going to be allowed to play for Leeds again."I had scored my first goal for more than two years against Chester on Tuesday night and was looking forward to hopefully enjoying a run in the team. This is the last year of my contract and I started the season with just two aims – to be a regular in the team and to get Leeds back into the Premiership."Bakke's reputed wages of around £23,000-per-week are believed to be a huge drain on United, who during the summer lost the £7m-per-annum parachute payment for clubs relegated from the Premiership.As Bakke prepares to exit, Ian Moore is determined to banish 18 months of frustration and earn an extended stay at Elland Road.The striker, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday, started his first game of the season against the Owls and produced a fine display to help Leeds to a 1-0 victory.Moore started just two Championship games last season, a 1-0 defeat at Crewe and the final day loss at Preston, and was expected to have to move on to secure regular first-team football.However, he said: "I am out of contract at the end of the season and I have to try and earn myself a new deal. It is a bit annoying there is an international break now, but hopefully I have done enough to hold down a place for the next game."I know Geoff Horsfield will be knocking on the manager's door as well but, hopefully, I will be in there next game. That is up to the manager and if he says I am on the bench then so be it. I cannot do anything about it."As long as I am in and around the team, I can only do my best for the club. We have a lot of good strikers here but as long as I am getting a chance I will try my best."Moore linked up well with David Healy in a two-man attack against Wednesday and the former Burnley and Stockport striker added: "I thought the second half was the best we have looked all season because we got the ball down and passed it. The 4-4-2 system looked good."We have played a lot in the past with one player up front, but it is there in black and white because the second half was our best of the season."I got a good little partnership going with Dave (Healy), more so in the second half than the first. There were a lot of balls going across the box; that is always going to happen with wingers like Seb Carole and Eddie Lewis. And as long as I keep getting in the areas, I am sure either me or Dave will get on the end of them."It was an important win because to be on four points after this number of games would not have been good enough. We would have been in the bottom half of the table so we were desperate for the win."
Bakke set to head back home
Brann indicate interest after Leeds show him the door
Richard Sutcliffe
NORWEGIAN league leaders Brann have emerged as a possible destination for Eirik Bakke after the midfielder was told by Leeds United his future lies away from Elland Road.
The 28-year-old exclusively revealed in later editions of yesterday's Yorkshire Post that United manager Kevin Blackwell had told him he would not play for the club again.Bakke, who is in his eighth season with Leeds, netted his first goal for two-and-a-half years in the Carling Cup win over Chester City last week, but he was then left out of the squad to face Sheffield Wednesday at Hillsborough on Sunday.The transfer window closes on Thursday night and sources in Norway claim Brann are ready to make a move.Talks over a possible return to his native country broke down this time last year when Bakke opted to move on loan to Aston Villa.Brann, who feature ex-Rangers midfielder Charlie Miller and former Aberdeen striker Robbie Winters among their squad, top their league after 18 games.Bakke, who has less than a year remaining on his United contract, trained yesterday with Sogndal – the Norwegian Second Division club from whom he joined Leeds in 1999 for £1.75m – after returning to Norway last week due to the Elland Road squad being given a few days off.On his future, he revealed in yesterday's Yorkshire Post: "I was told by the manager on Wednesday that I was not going to be allowed to play for Leeds again."I had scored my first goal for more than two years against Chester on Tuesday night and was looking forward to hopefully enjoying a run in the team. This is the last year of my contract and I started the season with just two aims – to be a regular in the team and to get Leeds back into the Premiership."Bakke's reputed wages of around £23,000-per-week are believed to be a huge drain on United, who during the summer lost the £7m-per-annum parachute payment for clubs relegated from the Premiership.As Bakke prepares to exit, Ian Moore is determined to banish 18 months of frustration and earn an extended stay at Elland Road.The striker, who celebrated his 30th birthday on Saturday, started his first game of the season against the Owls and produced a fine display to help Leeds to a 1-0 victory.Moore started just two Championship games last season, a 1-0 defeat at Crewe and the final day loss at Preston, and was expected to have to move on to secure regular first-team football.However, he said: "I am out of contract at the end of the season and I have to try and earn myself a new deal. It is a bit annoying there is an international break now, but hopefully I have done enough to hold down a place for the next game."I know Geoff Horsfield will be knocking on the manager's door as well but, hopefully, I will be in there next game. That is up to the manager and if he says I am on the bench then so be it. I cannot do anything about it."As long as I am in and around the team, I can only do my best for the club. We have a lot of good strikers here but as long as I am getting a chance I will try my best."Moore linked up well with David Healy in a two-man attack against Wednesday and the former Burnley and Stockport striker added: "I thought the second half was the best we have looked all season because we got the ball down and passed it. The 4-4-2 system looked good."We have played a lot in the past with one player up front, but it is there in black and white because the second half was our best of the season."I got a good little partnership going with Dave (Healy), more so in the second half than the first. There were a lot of balls going across the box; that is always going to happen with wingers like Seb Carole and Eddie Lewis. And as long as I keep getting in the areas, I am sure either me or Dave will get on the end of them."It was an important win because to be on four points after this number of games would not have been good enough. We would have been in the bottom half of the table so we were desperate for the win."
