Leeds United suggestion shot down in 12th man argument as 49ers eye key Elland Road date — YEP 20/2/24
One of the lessons that the previous ownership regime at Leeds United eventually learned was that you don't need to tell Elland Road what to do.
By Graham Smyth
There was once a Marcelo Bielsa press conference at Thorp
Arch, in the bad old pandemic days of Zoom meetings, that got off to an unusual
start. Rather than the polite smile Bielsa would wear upon entry to the room to
sit down and greet journalists through a laptop, he wore something between a
frown and a scowl. His translator relayed precisely why, to a Leeds staff
member who had apparently tried to chivvy Bielsa along for the press conference
start time, or at least that was how the Argentine had interpreted the
situation. Those of us who had experienced Bielsa's glare, delivered on rare
occasions in response to some question or other, felt slight pangs of relief
that this time we were not the recipients. "I know my
responsibilities," said the head coach, twice, via Andres Clavijo. Very
much in the same way, Elland Road knows its responsibilities this week, of all
weeks.
Recent suggestions, on social media, that some sort of
choreographed flag or scarf display be arranged for Friday night's game against
Leicester City have received a mixed response. Some like the idea of giving
Daniel Farke's players a breathtaking sight to accompany the noise as they walk
out into the stadium before kick-off. Others have pointed out that previous
attempts at this very thing might have looked good but they did not deliver the
desired result. Derby County, in the play-offs, the most obvious example. You
can be almost certain 49ers Enterprises know this, because the last ownership
did, after pulling out all the stops to give supporters a helping hand or props
to make Elland Road a visual spectacle for a number of big games. It was
eventually decided, in the latter half of last season, that the atmosphere was
best left to the fans and choreography just wasn't appropriate.
Now there might be a case to be built for some future
one-off game, be it a cup tie or play-off, but for a regular Championship
fixture against Leicester City? Entirely the wrong message and not one Farke
will be sending to his players this week as he calms things down to rest legs
and minds ahead of the fixture. This is not a cup final, this should not be a
cup final for Leeds United and letting Leicester think for one second that they
are Leeds' cup final would go against everything Farke has been talking about
since he arrived.
For us in the media and probably for most supporters too,
this is a big game. It will take on big game feel, because these two sides are
out to win automatic promotion and because they're two very, very good teams.
It cannot be ignored that a Leeds victory would narrow the gap between them and
their visitors to just six points. That gap was once 17 points. Should it
become six points then we can finally take the phrase 'title race' down off the
shelf, dust it off and sprinkle it liberally into the narrative.
For Farke and his players, however, this is just the latest
in a run of games that happens to have brought maximum points. It's just
another opponent to be respected, like Plymouth and Rotherham were respected,
and another opportunity to experience that winning feeling again. Leeds will
set out to dominate the ball, they'll look to create chances and they'll do
their utmost to counter the strengths of the opposition. Another press
conference will take place at Thorp Arch this week, this time face-to-face and
with Farke at the top table. This is what you can expect him to say: "I
don't over-interpret the table, not with so many games to play. This league is
relentless. Perhaps when you are there on game day 42 you can look at the
table. This is another difficult game. I'm quite respectful, they are a good
team." No big deal, no flags to wave, just another day at the office.
The other reason why there need not be any special effort to
turn Elland Road into something it probably isn't, is that the stadium has an
emotional intelligence. It knows when it is needed. So many times during both
of the recent Premier League relegation fights, the home crowd sensed a need
for them to do what they do, but louder, and so they did. There will be an edge
and an urgency to the atmosphere, which the players may well sense as they
stride out just before 8pm, but beyond that Elland Road's role will best be
performed with spontaneity. When the team needs a lift, scarves will be whirled
around heads. "We are the champions," will deafen, for minutes on end
if needs be. That's when Elland Road is Elland Road. Leave the atmosphere to
the experts, forget the flags and the clappers. Instead, give them something to
get their teeth into, some adversity or ascendancy, and watch them go like the
clappers.