Leeds United chief executive heaps praise upon Whites forward's attitude after stunning goal - YEP 22/1/23

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Leeds United CEO Angus Kinnear has commended teenage attacker Willy Gnonto’s attitude and professionalism in the wake of his wonder-strike against Cardiff City

Joe Donnohue

Gnonto’s finish inside 30 seconds of Leeds’ FA Cup Third Round Replay in midweek stunned audiences around the country, and in the 19-year-old’s homeland, due to its striking similarity to countryman Paolo Di Canio’s iconic scissor kick for West Ham United 23 years earlier.

The teenager humbly stated he believed Di Canio’s finish was still better than his own, but has won the affections of all at Elland Road due to his affable demeanour and undeniable talent.

After the Whites’ midweek cup fixture, strike-partner Patrick Bamford commended the teen, suggesting Gnonto ‘doesn’t know how good he is’. Chief executive Angus Kinnear has become the latest to praise the young forward in his pre-match programme notes ahead of Leeds’ Premier League encounter with Brentford.

"It was a great evening for Wilfried Gnonto who may have already produced the Goal of the Season,” Kinnear wrote. “The quality of Willy’s two goals are only matched by his exuberance and positivity around the club more generally. His attitude exemplifies how a young professional should approach the game, which makes it all the more pleasing that he is getting his rewards on the pitch,” the chief executive added.

Kinnear also commented on Patrick Bamford’s recent return to the scoresheet: “Patrick Bamford’s goalscoring return is also worthy of note. Nobody has been more frustrated than him by his stuttering return from injury, but three goals in 70 minutes were a timely reminder of the sublime quality of finishing when he is fully fit.”

Leeds have several attacking options to choose from this weekend, with club-record signing Georginio Rutter in contention from the substitutes’ bench against Brentford, as well as 12-goal Rodrigo and the returning Bamford fully fit and available.

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