In an amazing show of personal passion and downright forthrightness, Leeds United’s, well now ex-Leeds United’s, central defender Sol Bamba has launched what can only be seen as a tirade against the shadowy hierarchy who ‘run’ the club. In an act of mad bravery, Bamba has pulled out all the stops and put at risk the chance of a full-time contract offer from the club that he has represented so solidly in the games since Leeds took him on loan back in January. Refusing to kowtow to silence, Bamba has opened about “speaking the truth” about life behind the scenes at Leeds United. Below are a few choice things that Sol Bamba had to say.
“the person in charge has to do better for our club and the supporters.”
As a supporter, I fully agree with this sentiment. Cellino needs to realise that English clubs that are woven into the very fabric of the communities where they are situated and that they can’t be run on his dictatorial model where it seems every decision is passed through him like some footballing version of Kim Yong-Un. English football has managers, below them coaches; managers manage, coaches coach – it’s simplistic beauty. Cellino started his latest bout of being in charge today after his ban for not being a ‘fit and proper person’ ended. Sol Bamba’s plea to the ‘person in charge’ is a plea echoed by every Leeds United fan.
“I want to stay at the club but not for the wrong reasons. If he (Cellino) decides not to keep me because of what I’m saying, that’s up to him…I can’t just hide my feelings and when I think someone deserves something, I say it. If (Cellino) thinks I shouldn’t say it, that’s up to him. I speak the truth.”
Refreshing, that’s what it is – simply refreshing. refreshing that a player with a lot to lose can come out and speak from the heart. Speak out knowing full well that he could very well be shooting himself in the foot with his outspoken views. What the repercussions are of him [Bamba] standing up to il capo Cellino remains to be seen, but it is nice to see that some transparency is coming out of the club. There’s far too much ‘smoke-and-mirrors’ obfuscation going on up at Elland Road, this is helping to clear that.
“We can’t give this image to other clubs and the football world.”
Exactly, just think what the wider footballing world must be thinking of events up at Elland Road. You can only live on tradition and history for so long, sooner or later people outside of a club forget that and evaluate a club in terms of how it appears now. As Leeds fans will likely agree, whilst Massimo and Co are busy tidying up the insides of a club that was left to stagnate by former owners and thanks to them for that, the outward projection of the club is looking shambolic. Managers…sorry ‘coaches’ sacked two-a-penny, a man promoted from the inside and then left to hang out to dry, his legs cut from under him with every decision.
No Massimo, whilst fixing the club and setting us on an even course to financial stability, what you are doing is ripping the heart out of the club that I love. You are holding it up for ridicule, Massimo; the wider football community is equal parts aghast and humoured at Leeds United. Let me ask you a question Mr Cellino, “Why should Leeds United play the Roman fool, and die?”
It shouldn’t, it mustn’t and you can’t let it happen. Sol Bamba, thank you for saying the things that Leeds United fans are also saying.
