Lucas Radebe admits one thing about joining Leeds United was ‘absolutely horrible’

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Leeds United legend Lucas Radebe recently gave a lengthy interview with South African outlet Super Sport, where he discussed his time in Yorkshire.

Lucas Radebe, now age 55, racked up 256 total appearances for Leeds United during his 11 year stay with the club, also earning 70 caps for South Africa.

The centre-back joined from Kaiser Chiefs in 2004 along with fellow South African Phil Masinga, although the latter spent just one season with Leeds.

Radebe is still very much involved with the club and the fanbase, too. In fact, Radebe was a special guest at Leeds United against Sheffield United earlier in the season.

Fans have a lot of time for the legendary centre-back, who was part of the Leeds side that reached the final of the League Cup in 1996.

Radebe though doesn’t have entirely positive memories of his time at the club. In fact, as soon as he joined, there was an issue.

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Lucas Radebe couldn’t stand the ‘horrible’ weather in Leeds

Radebe left Kaiser Chiefs to join Leeds alongside Masinga, who signed from Mamelodi Sundowns, both arriving in 1994.

Speaking on SuperSport, Radebe has since revealed the struggles that he and Masinga faced in going from their respective teams in South Africa, to being full-time professionals in England.

And Radebe went on to reveal how the poor weather conditions in Leeds made things very difficult for him at first.

He said: “You’re not going to London, you’re going to Yorkshire. It’s a different accent, different food, everything is different. But the weather was the challenge.

“The weather conditions was the challenge because it was absolutely horrible. And the fact that we were never full-time professionals, that posed a challenge to us.

“It was training early in the morning: gym, training, nutrition. But we learned a lot.”

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Lucas Radebe’s promotion message to Daniel Farke at Leeds United

Speaking earlier in the season, Radebe gave his verdict on Leeds United’s promotion chances this season.

As things stand, the Whites sit in 2nd place of the Championship table, with Sheffield United moving back into 1st after their win away at Millwall on Wednesday night.

Radebe said back in October: “I know it’s still early on, but I think it’s important that we grab all the points before Christmas, we set ourselves up for the second half of the season in the position that will give us promotion.”

Leeds now have four games left before 2026. They have 41 points on the board and have opened up a three-point gap to Burnley in 3rd, with Farke’s men having won five of their last six in the league.