Eddie Howe’s praise justifies Leeds United’s reported interest in Aston Villa’s Tommy Elphick

Follow us on Google Discover

Leeds United target Tommy Elphick didn’t enjoy his best season with Aston Villa but he was superb for Bournemouth.

Time moves quick in modern football. Just 12 months ago, Tommy Elphick was being hailed as an inspired signing for Aston Villa, a strong-willed leader who could unite the dressing room and lay the foundations for an immediate return to the Premier League.

The reality, however, is that Elphick fell down the pecking order after a series of below par displays, Villa finished 13^th, and they are now desperately looking to ship him off in exchange for funds needed to reinvest in an unbalanced squad.

But perhaps Leeds United are thinking back longer than a year ago as they consider rescuing the defender from Villa Park.

Elphick dropped to third choice at Villa

The Birmingham Mail reports that Thomas Christiansen’s side, who only have two senior defenders in Liam Cooper and Pontus Jansson, are battling Sunderland for the 29-year-old.

It cannot be forgotten, after all, that Elphick lifted the Championship trophy as captain of Bournemouth as recently as 2015. He also donned the armband proudly as The Cherries won promotion to the second tier just two years earlier.

And Bournemouth boss Eddie Howe didn’t hold back in his praise when Elphick swapped the South Coast for the Midlands last summer.

Winner’s mentality

“[Elphick] has been an incredible servant and the most successful captain in the club’s history,” Howe told the Daily Echo. “He led the club and the team with real distinction, both on and off the pitch.

“Tommy has a real winner’s mentality and that was very evident to me as soon as I started working with him. He never lost it for a second and was always fiercely determined to do his best at all times. He is a person of great character and an inspiration to all, especially his team-mates.”

All in all, this is a fine reference from one of the English game’s most respected managers. And though Leeds fans may have questions about Elphick’s quality, they could not call his character into question.

The nature of Leeds’ collapse in the final weeks of last season, a run of one win in eight meaning they missed out on the play-offs, suggests they could do with more leaders like Elphick, a player who has been there and done it when it mattered.