Luke Ayling is delighted that Leeds United boss Paul Heckingbottom has kept him involved, despite a season-ending injury.
Luke Ayling has revealed to Leeds United’s official website he is chuffed that new manager Paul Heckingbottom still wants him involved in off-the-pitch matters.
Surgery after an ankle injury in January means that Ayling is unlikely to play again for Leeds this season.
The 26-year-old hasn’t played since Heckingbottom took over from Thomas Christiansen as head coach earlier this month.
The talented right-back is a popular figure in the Leeds squad and Ayling says that the 40-year-old has been keeping him involved in everything despite being unable to play, which he claims is a “good feeling”.
“I spoke with him on his first day here and he said that he still wants me to be part of everything,” he told Leeds’ website.
“I go into all the meetings and I am always around the players and he wants me involved. It is a nice feeling that I am still in his thoughts.”
It’s a wise choice by Heckingbottom. The former Arsenal product is a fun-loving character and morale is certainly going to be a lot higher with him than without him.
Ayling’s personality means that he can still have a small role to play away from the football pitch and excluding him due to the injury wouldn’t have been clever.
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