Club v Career

Speculation surrounding Raphinha's future at Leeds has been rife all season.

Our poor season in the PL won't have helped matters - quite the reverse. The fact that Raph has broken into the Brazil team and had such a dramatic impact, not to mention his exploits for Leeds, will have raised his stock to such a level that a move to a "bigger" club this summer seems likely, if not inevitable.

His cryptic social media message yesterday does nothing to calm the nerves regarding his future.

All this speculation got me thinking about players in the modern game and their loyalty to their clubs.

I could be wrong, but I believe that the last Leeds player to qualify for a testimonial (remember those?) was Gary Kelly some 15 years ago. The criterion was at least 10 years service at the same club and the proceeds from the match and associated events went directly to the player as a thank you and a "pension" of sorts for so many years of loyal service.

Astronomically inflated salaries and the all-important career path with trophies and medals at the forefront, not to mention the lucrative cut for the agent every time the player moves to another club, have rendered the testimonial a thing of the past - irrelevant and unachievable.

Our survival in the PL could be the difference between some players staying or leaving. Unlike Raph, KP has a boyhood affinity with LUFC and has never expressed a desire to leave. Things might be different if we go down, besides which there is the issue of the club being tempted to cash in, whatever the wishes of the player. It's not always simple.

Sooner or later Raph will leave LUFC and personally, I can't see him staying beyond this summer whichever league we play in next season.

Whatever happens in the summer is for the summer. JM has an injury depleted squad to select from in the remaining 9 matches and the focus has to be on getting results to ensure survival in the PL. That goes without saying.

We've lost important players in the past and survived and adapted - Jordan, McQueen, Ian Snodin, Cantona, not to mention the 2004 exodus of O'Leary's "babies" following relegation.

There is an academy of young talent, notably Joffy, Summerville, Drameh, Bate, Cresswell, Shackleton, Klaesson and eventually, once he starts shaving, Archie Gray, queuing up for a chance to prove their worth.

Apart from Shackleton, the others have had limited opportunities to impress.

If Raph plays out of his skin for the rest of the season and we survive, I would like to think we could keep hold of him but I wouldn't begrudge him a move that looks more likely than not, whatever happens. LUFC will go on whoever's names are on the numbered shirts.

It's a sad fact that a player's loyalty to a club nowadays only extends as far as the club's potential for serious success, both domestic and European, added to the player's talent, profile and access to the possibility of such success.

If it boils down to club versus career, I'd bet on it being career every time.

Then there's the agent in the background wringing his hands with pound signs in his eyes. If the player stays at a club for 10 years, the agent's earning potential is reduced considerably, but that's a whole different arena and topic of discussion.

We need to deal with today and worry about tomorrow when tomorrow comes.

Southampton at home is next and let's hope that JM can use the international down time to further instil his tactics and style on the squad to good effect.

There appears to be an open and much more obvious feel-good vibe around the squad which JM has brought that is so refreshing to see - in short, a breath of much needed fresh air. Players are smiling again and responding to the warmth and exuberance emanating from JM. That is not to denigrate the methods of MB who has done so much good for LUFC and is responsible for us being in the PL. It's merely an observation of differing styles of man-management and each style has its own merits.

I think we're approaching a transitional phase with a new boss and eventually new owners in place, in addition to an overhaul of the playing squad.

Whoever the personnel are, we are Leeds and we will always march on together.

So be it.