Paul Heckingbottom defends Leeds United’s Victor Orta, amid criticism from the fanbase.
Speaking to BBC Radio Leeds, Paul Heckingbottom has defended Leeds United’s Director of Football Victor Orta.
The Spaniard’s position at Elland Road has come under scrutiny in recent weeks by virtue of how poor some of his decisions seem to have been.
Leeds, who have won one of the eight games that Heckingbottom has taken charge of since replacing Thomas Christiansen, seem to have taken a big backward step since Orta and owner Andrea Radrizzani changed the head coach.
In addition to that, the former Middlesbrough chief oversaw a summer transfer window in which a number of the players have failed to impress in West Yorkshire.
Consequently, Orta has been villified by some sections of Leeds fans in recent weeks, but Heckingbottom isn’t buying the criticism.
Asked on BBC Radio Leeds whether Orta now knows what type of players suit the Championship, after his failure last summer, the 40-year-old said: “That’s easy to say when results have not gone well.
“Likewise if Leeds would have been in for the playoffs now, everyone would be saying he does know and that’s the nature of the game.”
The reality is that Leeds aren’t in the playoff positions, so Heckingbottom’s point is null and void to some extent.
United are 14th in the Championship and 12 points adrift of the top six. Their season is already over, despite it once promising so much, and Orta must recruit far better players this summer if Leeds are to seriously challenge for Premier League promotion next term.
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