Patrick Bamford had no less than four different managers at Leeds United last season.
As Leeds moved ever closer to relegation from the Premier League, former owner Andrea Radrizzani tried all he could to secure survival, which included the hiring and firing of several managers.
And despite the turbulent nature of Leeds’ season, Bamford has revealed on BBC’s new ‘My Mate’s a Footballer’ podcast that he is still in contact with one of those managers now – Javi Gracia.
Gracia seemed somewhat of a panic appointment at Leeds following the sacking of Jesse Marsch in February, as all of the club’s top targets, including Arne Slot and Andoni Iraola opted against coming to Elland Road.
U21s coach Michael Skubala was placed in interim charge but a costly defeat at relegation rivals Everton forced Leeds back into the managerial market, where they landed on Gracia.
Gracia was a nice guy, but never good enough to keep Leeds up
Gracia lasted just 11 Premier League matches in charge at Leeds. Seven points from his first four, was then followed by an abysmal run of just four points from his next seven – a period which included heavy defeats to Crystal Palace, Liverpool and Bournemouth.
Bamford scored three goals in seven appearances under Gracia, which was comfortably his best period of the season. He says he really got along with the Spaniard and still speaks to him now.
He said: “There’s been quite a few managers that I have had really good relationships with. One of the ones who came in last year, Javi Gracia, even now I speak to him and his staff. They were lovely.”
Gracia always came across as a nice person while in charge at Leeds, but things on the field became toxic, pretty quickly.
To be losing 5-1, 6-1, and 4-1 in the space of a matter of weeks while in a relegation battle meant his position became untenable, and his sacking was just the final throw of the dice by Leeds.
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