A former Leeds United player has complained on Twitter that there are “too many foreign players” in the club’s under-23 side.
Ian Harte spent nine years at Leeds, making almost 300 appearances and helping David O’Leary’s talented side reach the Champions League semi-finals in 2001. The left-back departed for Spanish side Levante in 2004 when Leeds entered financial meltdown, but he remains a fan of the club where he spent most of his career.
On Friday afternoon, he attended a match between Leeds’ under-23 side and Birmingham’s under-23 team, and he wasn’t happy with what he witnessed.
Harte complained on Twitter that there are currently “too many foreign players” in Leeds’ under-23 team, and that he was left “fuming” following the match. Leeds is “losing its identity”, according to the Irishman, as some of the players and coaches were speaking Spanish, and they lack the “passion” of homegrown footballers. They are also, according to Harte, “killing” the chances of young British players making it to the first-team.
Here are Harte’s tweets:
Fuming tonight, went to watch @LUFC Under 23s v Birmingham. Leeds is losing its identity, as all I could hear was Spanish been spoken by players and manager!!! We are a club that has over years and years brought through quality players. But what I witnessed is players lacking
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) February 2, 2018
Passion, desire to wear the @LUFC shirt with pride!!! Needs sorting ASAP #MOT
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) February 2, 2018
Everyone knows I love @LUFC but too many foreign players in 23s not good enough and killing the younger players pathway!!! Andrea and Victor are very good!!! But something needs addressing ASAP
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) February 2, 2018
Harte, who now works as a football agent, seems oblivious to the fact that he is Irish, and he was once a “foreign” player in England. He is from Drogheda in County Louth, and played schoolboy football for Home Farm in Dublin, before joining Leeds’ academy in 1995 and establishing himself in the first-team.
Harte, like the Spanish players he complained about, was an economic migrant. Each player has left home to try become a professional footballer in another country, the same way he did over 20 years ago. Harte also played in Spain for three years! So, it’s really strange to hear him complain about Spanish players doing exactly what he did, and try their luck in another league.
