‘Set a precedent’ - Karl Robinson issues Leeds United warning over Willy Gnonto saga - YEP 18/8/23
Karl Robinson was an assistant coach to Sam Allardyce for the final four games of last season
By Ben McKenna
Karl Robinson believes Leeds United must stand by their not
for sale stance over Willy Gnonto or risk setting a bad precedent for future
transfers.
The Italian international has made himself unavailable for
the club’s last two Championship games after a Leeds statement released last
week confirmed the club’s decision to not sell the player during this window.
The player has been the subject of interest from a number of
clubs with Everton reportedly seeing two bids rejected for the forward.
Robinson was an assistant to Sam Allardyce for the final
four games of last season and worked with Gnonto during his brief spell at
Elland Road. He expressed sympathy with the player but insisted the youngster
must honour his contract with the club and feels Leeds must stick by their not
for sale stance after going public with it.
Speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Robinson
said of the situation: "None of us know to what extent or what
conversations have gone on. Here is a kid who is 19 years of age, he is a full
Italian international, he has to play first and foremost - you are contracted
to Leeds United. You signed that contract, when you sat down with your agent.
"If he doesn't play, and they [Leeds] fold, and he goes
- what precedent does that set for the rest of the players, for the rest of
this transfer window? The manager has to make a very bold decision and
sometimes that has to be public. You can't have that lingering over a team.
"This needs to be sorted sooner rather than later and
it might have to sorted aggressively. It is hard for players, when they see one
of their friends leaving as that can be a little bit of a dent in your
confidence.
"Footballers don't have that long in their careers,
they have got to make decisions to support their own careers. But you are
signed to play for Leeds United and you have to play. Knowing Willy in the
short time, he is not a bad person. He never came across as a bad person."
