Ken Bates has rubbished George McCartney's claim that fatigue has played its part in Leeds' slump.
Whites owner unhappy with full-back's tiredness claims
Leeds owner Ken Bates has rubbished on-loan George McCartney's claim that fatigue has played its part in United's end of season slump.
The Whites had been challenging for a top-two spot for much of the season, but a disappointing March and April has seen the team slide out of the play-offs.
The Sunderland defender intimated in an interview this week that the club's players were feeling the effects of a long season and that tired legs were to blame for their poor form.
Bates, who has now completed his buyout of the club, does not see how McCartney could be tired having only featured sparingly in Leeds' recent outings, including their 1-0 weekend win over Burnley.
It seems Leeds are now unlikely to push through a permanent move for the 30-year-old as Bates has questioned the full-back's commitment having been fined more than once for arriving late for training.
Unwise
"I see he's rather unwisely been giving an interview in which he says the players are tired, a sense of jadedness among certain players has proved telling," Bates told
Yorkshire Radio.
"Well, I don't quite understand what he means by that because when we play QPR we'll have played 50 games, but everybody at the club will have played at least 48, 46 league games and two cup matches.
"I don't understand what he means by players being 'out on their feet' after playing so much this season. It certainly doesn't apply to him. As far as I can see, looking at the fixture list, as far as I know, he has only played twice in the last six games.
"So I don't think fatigue can contribute to his contribution, which I haven't been particularly impressed with."
Bates added: "As I understand it, he has been fined more than once for turning up late in training.
"So perhaps if he turned up on time and showed a bit more commitment then he wouldn't feel quite so tired.
"I think it's a rubbish excuse for him and anybody else who wants to swing that one."
