Roy Keane and Ian Wright were left seething at something Leeds United’s first representative at EURO 2024 did last night.
The Whites have only three players at this summer’s tournament in Germany, both of whom were unused substitutes in their respective country’s opening match.
Liam Cooper’s Scotland got the tournament underway on Friday night and the Leeds captain will have probably been feeling a little relieved to be left on the bench against a Germany side who ran riot in a 5-1 victory.
Rasmus Kristensen, whose future is uncertain at Leeds this summer, was then also unused by Denmark in their tournament opener against Slovenia, in which they were held to a frustrating 1-1 draw.
Kristensen will be hoping he has some sort of involvement when Denmark face England on Thursday where he could come up against numerous Premier League players that ripped him apart during his one and only season at Elland Road.
Keane and Wright blast Max Wober for Austria display
Though not part of Leeds’ squad last season, Max Wober was officially the Whites’ first official representative to be handed some minutes at this summer’s EUROs.
Wober’s Austria side came up against one of the tournament favourites in France and certainly did not disgrace themselves despite beginning their group stage campaign with a 1-0 defeat.
However, on an individual note, it was a disastrous evening for Wober as his own goal was the difference between the two sides. The 25-year-old looked shaky from the off and was booked early on for a rash challenge on Ousmane Dembele.
But it was a really poor piece of positioning that led to him heading into his own net, and speaking on ITV Sport at half-time, Keane and Wright were very critical of his involvement in the goal.
Keane said: “I just think he’s sprinting, he needs to slow down a little bit. It’s a decent ball into the box but I think that’s really poor defending.
“Everyone will say it’s a bit unlucky with the pace of the ball, but he’s just got to slow down and get his body position right. When you head it at that angle there is a good chance it goes into your own net. Really poor defending.”
Wright then added: “The defender is not looking at the ball. If the balls coming across goal you’ve got to look at it. When you look at it, he’s not looking at the ball. He doesn’t know where it’s going to go. It’s crazy.”
Nothing can be ruled out over Wober’s return to Leeds
After confirmation of Brenden Aaronson’s return to the club for next season, the spotlight has intensified over the futures of the rest of the loan army.
With Jack Harrison and Marc Roca seemingly able to leave on loan again, and Diego Llorente wanted by AS Roma for a third spell, the main question marks are against Wober and Kristensen.
And according to Graham Smyth of the Yorkshire Evening Post, nothing can now be ruled out regarding what could potentially happen with Wober or Kristensen.
That said, it would be fair to say his performance last night has done little to endear himself back into the hearts of Leeds supporters.