Stuart Dallas’ comments on reduced Leeds United role highlights Garry Monk’s man-management

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The winger is clearly yet to win over Leeds United boss Garry Monk.

Fortunately for Garry Monk and Leeds United, Stuart Dallas doesn’t seem to mind fighting for his place, as reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post.

With Hadi Sacko, Kemar Roofe and Souleymane Doukara starting regularly in the wide roles this season, the Northern Irish international returned from the glamour of Euro 2016 to find himself gathering splinters on the bench rather than pummelling down the wings.

Dallas has started just half of Leeds’ 32 Championship games this season and the January additions of Modou Barrow and Alfonso Pedraza, direct, speedy runners, haven’t exactly helped his first-team prospects.

Nonetheless, the 25-year-old has insisted that he is not about to throw his toys out of the pram.

“I think [competition] brings out the best in players,” Dallas told the Yorkshire Evening Post. “Different games suit different styles of players and all the wingers have different attributes.

“Maybe next week it will be different wingers who start, who knows? But I have just got to keep taking my chance when it comes.”

Despite netting from the start against Ipswich on Saturday, doubts persist as to whether those chances will arise under Monk.

Nonetheless, Dallas’ mature, professional attitude merely highlights the togetherness and the team spirit the former Swansea boss has brought to Elland Road. A number of players, including former captain Liam Cooper and summer signings Matt Grimes and Marcus Antonsson, have found their first-team chances limited this season.

However, like Dallas, they have approached the situation with a great deal of dignity, Antonsson in particular a picture of positivity whenever he is asked about his reduced role in the side.

Perhaps his impressive handling of the squad, his ability to get players onside and fighting for the cause where others may have resorted to petulance is Monk’s most impressive contribution to Leeds.

Everyone is pulling in the same direction.