Former Leeds United ace Sol Bamba says it was great management to let him leave

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Leeds’ Sol Bamba says he is glad he was allowed to leave, having signed to Cardiff City.

Cardiff City centre-back Sol Bamba has told the Yorkshire Evening Post he is glad Garry Monk released him from his Leeds United contract.

Bamba’s deal was terminated in September outside of the transfer window, with the defender falling down the pecking order to fourth choice due to the loan signings of Kyle Bartley and Pontus Jansson.

Leeds United’s Sol Bamba celebrates scoring his side’s first goal against Derby

While the veteran was disappointed to have fallen out of favour, he is relishing being part of Cardiff City’s first team after signing with the club as a free agent.

Bamba says he believes Garry Monk’s decision was a smart one, and fair to him rather than keeping him sitting in reserve and thanks the former Swansea boss for his decision.

He was initially keen to stay at Leeds and wait for his chance, but says he was swayed into realising Monk was freeing him up for the good of his career.

He said: “My first reaction was to say ‘things might change, you could get injuries or players could go out of form.’ He said ‘but what if it doesn’t change? What if it’s still like this in six months? It’ll catch up with you and you’ll go crazy.

“I guess you don’t know how you’d think if you felt like you were on the outside and never getting back in. In a way he’d seen that and I was still only 31. He did what was best for both of us, and for Leeds. It’s great management when you think about it.”

Brighton and Hove Albion’s Anthony Knockaert in action with Cardiff City’s Sol Bamba

Bamba may have been worried about finding a new club or having to drop down a division, and did have to wait around a month for his opportunity having seen a potential switch to Derby County fall through due to a change in management.

It was former Leeds manager Neil Warnock who took a chance on him and stood by him when he had a meltdown on the field after a red card earlier this season, and the Ivorian is likely to start against former teammate Chris Wood this weekend at Elland Road.