Leeds president Massimo Cellino denies players went on strike before Charlton game
Monday 20 April 2015 08:55, UK
Leeds president Massimo Cellino said the withdrawal of six players through injury before Saturday’s game at Charlton did not represent a players’ strike.
The controversial Italian owner has been keen to distance himself from the incident, which saw Mirco Antenucci, Giuseppe Bellusci, Dario Del Fabro, Marco Silvestri, Souleymane Doukara and Edgar Cani fail to make the trip to the Valley.
The club made a statement regarding the injured players on Sunday lunchtime, which confirmed the six did not finish Friday’s training session and therefore did not travel to Charlton.
The move prompted speculation that the players had gone on strike but while Cellino admitted it ‘looks weird’, he said it was nothing to do with him.
"I am not a coward and not the sort of guy who tells his players to go on strike,” he was quoted as saying in The Sun. "I only found out on Friday evening. I admit it looks weird. But if the players were injured, why didn't the manager inform the chairman?
"This looks like a fight between manager Neil Redfearn and the ownership of the club, which is not good."
Former Cagliari owner Cellino was banned from running Leeds United until May after the Football League obtained documents from an Italian court which confirmed he had been found guilty of tax evasion.
The disqualification and the injury controversy are the latest events in a chaotic season at Elland Road, where Redfearn has seen his position come under a growing threat in recent weeks.
Redfearn is Leeds’ third manager this season after spells in charge for David Hockaday and Darko Milanic while his assistant Steve Thompson was sacked without warning earlier this month.
Several supporters have called for Cellino to leave but he insists he is the right man to take the club forward.
"From day one I felt I was at the right club,” he said. "I am 58 and my dream is still for us to do something big here. I have asked permission to go to our last game of the season against Rotherham, a day before my ban ends.
"If the fans want to kick me and shout at me, fine. I am used to it."
