Leeds United Owner Hits Out at Fans on Twitter After Nottingham Forest Defeat
Leeds United owner Andrea Radrizzani has vented his frustration via Twitter concerning the fans' reaction to the team's run of poor results in recent weeks.
Leeds currently sit second in the Championship but have lost four of their last five matches and are level on points with third-placed Fulham. Some fans of the Yorkshire side have laid the blame for this run of form at the owner's door, citing a lack of investment in January.
Following Leeds' most recent defeat to Nottingham Forest on Saturday, Radrizzani took to Twitter to address the fans.
ONE thing frustrate me more then any defeat.I have been like a fan like you, travelling and supporting my team since I was a student and no money. How can’t you support a team/club that have reached the best result of last 16 years!! being always in top 3 since Aug 2018. Nite💛💙
— Andrea Radrizzani (@andrearadri) February 9, 2020
Radrizzani's assertion of a permanent spot in the top three is not strictly correct given Leeds dropped as low as fifth after a 2-1 defeat against Millwall in October. However, the idea of celebrating anything below second-place has come under some criticism from fans after this late-night post.
Some supporters pointed out that being third in the Championship is not always the best position to hold, given it warrants a place in the play-offs rather than automatic promotion.
Last season saw Leeds finish six points off second place, after 33 weeks in the top two, and eventually lose the play-off semi-finals to Frank Lampard's Derby County, with fears of history repeating itself resurfacing since the turn of the year.
Leeds were top of the Championship and 11 points clear of the dreaded third place ten games ago, but now find themselves a point adrift of leaders West Bromwich Albion, with the gap between themselves and a return to the play-offs in the summer non-existent.
Radrizzani has been the sole owner of Leeds United since the summer of 2017, and after a mediocre mid-table finish in his debut campaign, hopes of a return to the top flight were reignited following the arrival of the mercurial Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa in 2018. They have ultimately fallen short however, with history threatening to repeat itself.
While there are clearly divisions between the club's hierarchy and supporters, the owner, coach and fans can agree that they cannot fall short again.