Leeds United’s Championship season ended with a 1-1 draw away at Wigan Athletic.
Leeds United manager Garry Monk applauds fans after the match
Garry Monk has confirmed to BBC Radio Leeds that Charlie Taylor refused to play in Leeds’ clash with Wigan on the final day of the season ahead of his contract expiring in the summer, and hit out at those who have been advising the defender.
Taylor’s departure from Elland Road has been expected ever since the left-back submitted a transfer request last summer (via Guardian), and the Whites’ fall out of the play-off picture in recent weeks seemed to leave Leeds with too great a job to do to convince the academy graduate to stay put – especially with Premier League offers coming in in January (via Guardian).
And amazingly, Monk has now confirmed that the 23-year-old’s omission from the squad that took to the pitch at the DW Stadium was down to the player asking not to play rather than a selection decision on the head coach’s part.
“I’m hugely disappointed with Charlie. I think he’s been terribly-advised all season and has refused to play the game. As a manager, you can’t have that. It’s a shame, as he’s a great lad, a fantastic lad – hopefully, he’ll learn from the mistake he’s made,” he told BBC Radio Leeds.
Fleetwood Town’s David Ball and Leeds United’s Charlie Taylor in action
“But I think, from the outside, he’s been badly-advised all season. We’ve tried to guide him from the inside but it’s been very difficult for us as management to get a full Charlie Taylor. The injury was genuine but better advice all season and we would have seen a better Charlie Taylor.”
While the refusal to play brings a sad end to his predominantly successful time in the Leeds first-team, there is a positive in the sense that the fans have been left in almost no doubt that Taylor’s days with the club are numbered, and thus, the club can begin to plan for life without the talented defender.
Sadly however, the news will undoubtedly taint how Taylor will be remembered by the Leeds supporters, and despite his talent, the fans will actually perhaps look forward to the moment that he is no longer on the club’s books.
Liverpool’s Georginio Wijnaldum in action with Leeds’ Charlie Taylor
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