The Return Of Jermaine Beckford?
Published on January 7th, 2012
If there’s one sure fire way to give Leeds United fans a desperately needed lift this January then re-signing Jermaine Beckford from Leicester City would be top of any list.
Unfortunately, I just can’t see it happening, and here’s why;
1. Saving Face
When Jermaine Beckford left Elland Road, he did so with dreams of taking the Premier League by storm at Everton. 18 months on, he’s playing for a club that currently sits four places below us in the Championship which must be a difficult thing for him to come to terms with. Accepting he made a mistake before performing a u-turn seems incredibly unlikely to me.
The fact Leicester City are struggling more than we are should mean we’re the better bet for Premier League football next season though, shouldn’t it? Well no, not really. Things haven’t quite fallen into place for The Foxes yet, but they’ll keep throwing money at it and something will stick sooner or later.
Leeds on the other hand are achieving pretty much what we all expected them to, and there’s no real reason to believe our position will improve by much. We’re three, maybe four quality additions shy of a decent shot and it’s hard to see where they’re going to come from given the limited resources available to the manager, which incidentally, brings us on to my next point…
2. Wage Demands
The only reason Leicester City were able to prise Jermaine Beckford away from his cushy little earner in the Premier League was by offering wages well above what Ken Bates likes to dish out.
It’s all well and good having a wage cap at Elland Road, but all that really means is that when we’re attempting to sign big names like Keith Andrews, Ipswich Town will simply offer a few quid more and we’re left with Michael Brown. Our wage cap is a bit like communism – it sounds good in theory.
The theory falls apart however when you try to sign anyone that is above the standard quality of this decision. Average players will accept an average wage. The better ones won’t.
3. The Price Tag
Wages don’t matter though because there’s a huge hurdle we’d have to overcome before that which Ken Bates’ stumpy little legs simply can’t clear.
Leicester City paid £2.5m for Jermaine Beckford, and the rumour is, that they want to recoup as much of that as possible. Our starting and finishing bid of £30 and one Billy Paynter is unlikely to seal it.
In fact, I doubt we’d even offer that. Can anyone seriously see Ken Bates offering money for a player who walked away on a free? He’d never sleep again, such insanity would give him nightmares.
4. Priorities
The single biggest reason why I can’t see this happening is the small matter of not actually needing a striker.
Transfer windows open, fans get excited and it’s always the glamour players that people want to talk about. But Leeds’ problems are not up front, nor have they been at any stage since Jermaine Beckford left.
We have a midfield held together by a 34-year old mad man with all the creativity of a paint-by-numbers masterpiece and a defence taking shifts in the injury room to ensure Ben Parker has some company. The attack is the last thing we should be worrying about.
If we were the Man City of Championship football, then signing Jermaine Beckford would be a no-brainer. Unfortunately, we’re not. We’re Ken Bates led Leeds United and there’s absolutely no way he’ll make an exception to points 2 and 3 for a player we simply don’t need.
As nice at it’d be to see Jermaine Beckford back, it would take such an almighty shift in our transfer policy that I’d give you better odds on a meteor hitting Old Trafford.
© 2012, The Scratching Shed. All rights reserved.
TSS
Founder and editor of The Scratching Shed, born locally and have followed Leeds United all my life from the dizzying heights of Europe, to the dark depths of League One. Prone to the occasional Bates rant, refuse to believe there has ever been a better centre-back than Lucas Radebe and am convinced Adam Clayton is the new Patrick Viera (only better)
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Ron_Galea8 pts
Sorry to crash the party, but I'm not a fan of bringing him back, even if it were possible. I have no grudges with Beckford, but I think we can do better. Give me Maynard or Sharp - players who we may be able to use in the top flight if we make it.
9 minutes ago
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number1inyorkshire26 pts
Ron_Galea BOO ,nicky maynard would be ok he is on a list, the lad at huddersfield would be a good buy but at 4 mill too much for uncle ken ,RHODES is it
6 minutes ago
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Ron_Galea8 pts
number1inyorkshire Allow me a dream. I've had a few beers. I'll wake up and Enoch will be back at ER on a free. Sorry for the fantasy.
less than a minute ago
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tedbaker5 pts
Just iin case I did want to have a pop on something I'd have an interest in, what exact SP are you offering for the meteor?
19 minutes ago
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lufc_chat6 pts
Would love Beckford back at Elland Road, and f**k those that hold grudges against him for leaving.
Beckford, Becchio, McCormack and Somma.
And get rid of the crap
38 minutes ago
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lufc_chat6 pts
Oh and he scored a f**king great goal in a scum shithole too
33 minutes ago
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Simon21
It's also unlikely because he can't play for more than the 2 clubs he's already played for this season.
1 hour ago
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TSS25 pts
Yeah, although he can move abroad or be loaned to a club in England, which I suspect is what Leicester City would do but only on the basis of a sale at the end of season.
19 minutes ago
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number1inyorkshire26 pts
TSS and who ever pays all his wages in the meantime ,he is on we here ?? 40 k a week thats a big wedge in the champs ,will he be up there at the top end of earners for champs .
thats 3 x what our top earners are on at leeds ,has his agent priced him out of playing football
12 minutes ago
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songster5 pts
TSS
Only on a 3 month loan tho, not til the end of the season.
6 minutes ago
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ChicagoWhite7 pts
LCFC are in a pickle as they can't sell him (FA/FL/PL rules) apart from abroad so unless there happy to sit him on all that money he's on or offload Nugent & play Becks & Sharp together there only option would be to loan him out with an option to sell in the summer as such they may be willing to cover a significant part of his wages, whether they would loan to a playoff rival is another matter though, though I can't see Becks playing for anyone in the chumps other than Leeds, WHU or Southampton TBH. While LUFC needs CM & defensive strengthening I'd take Becks up front especially with Snods & Townsend supplying the ball its not as if we endowed with an abundance of pace also if the McCormack & Becchio rumors are true I see at least one going before the end of Jan, partnering Becks & Becchio up front is a known & partnership that would work IMO. Also think recruiting Becks may make it easier for LUFC to attract better signings in other positions as I see very little attraction to joining LUFC currently.
1 hour ago
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Dje15 pts
Spent £2.5m on a Premiership striker and four months and eight days later you are trying to offload him. This f*cked up situation is what you get when you employ Sven Goran Eriksson and give him an open cheque book.
-----
It does seem unlikely, but considering Beckford struck professional football later than most players, and that he is 28 (peak age for a striker), he'll be looking for regular football and not the subs bench. Hope for the unhopeful.
1 hour ago
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number1inyorkshire26 pts
even if Leicester let him leave for free to get rid of his wages that would be the stumbling block at leeds ,his wages ,
Bates would just not sign a player who walked for free, for money 2-3 million quid ,maybe to be honest neither would i ,
lazy, temperamental ,un involved down right pig headed (no its not the wife talking about me)
Beckford was all those things but his record of actually scoring for leeds was as good as anyone anywhere (well except billy paynter at swindon) .
would take him back right now ,wish he had never left infact but will he be back sadly no i do not think so .his goals would have got us promoted last season and with mccormack we would be right up there .
just a thought i would sell Becchio to pay for beckford
2 hours ago
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bill hicks5 pts
£30 is just about his market value, he is shight..
2 hours ago
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