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Leeds United: Return Swansea City trip leaves Bessone so happy INTERVIEW
Federico Bessone Bury v Leeds Utd. Pre season friendley. 20 July 2010. Picture Bruce Rollinson
Staggered left-back Federico Bessone admits he was lost for words after making a dream beat-the-deadline move to rejoin former club Swansea City – so escaping his Leeds United nightmare.
The Argentinian defender, who made just six league appearances for the Whites – with his last one coming in the 5-2 thrashing at Barnsley just under 12 months ago – was out in Leeds on Wednesday afternoon with Luciano Becchio when his agent got in touch to set the wheels in motion for his stunning move back to south Wales.
The 27-year-old, who joined Leeds on a three-year deal in the summer of 2010, then raced down Britain’s motorway network to get the deal finalised after United agreed to cancel his contract to facilitate the transfer.
Bessone’s move was bizarrely sparked by Swans defender Alan Tate suffering a broken leg while riding as a passenger in a golf buggy on Sunday, with Tate’s misfortune prompting boss Brendan Rodgers to enter the transfer market to bring in left-back cover.
Misfortune
And it was clearly a case of one man’s misfortune being another’s gain.
On the shock developments, Bessone, who spent much of the second half of last season on loan at Charlton Athletic, told the YEP: “I couldn’t believe it. I’m so happy and excited; I don’t have enough words to describe how I’m feeling now.
“I spoke with my family and they couldn’t believe it also.
“It had been one of the worst summers I’ve had as a football player and now everything has changed in one day and I’m the happiest guy in the world!
“I couldn’t sleep (on Wednesday night)! Nothing was happening on deadline day; I was relaxing and my agent called me and said that Swansea were looking for left-back cover.
“I was with my friend Becchio and we were in the city centre in Leeds. I received the call at something like three in the afternoon. I couldn’t drive to Swansea until five because I had to wait a little for the papers to be sorted out and my agent had to speak with Leeds to release my contract.
“I then got in my car and drove as quick as I could! Swansea was a long way, but when you have to do something like I did, you don’t mind.
“I had no idea Swansea were interested. I did have a bit of a chance last Christmas, but then it did not happen and I didn’t expect to go back there.
“Now I just want to help the guys and the team. Alan’s injury is an opportunity for me, even though I feel sorry for him; he’s a nice fellow.”
On his time at Leeds, Bessone said: “To be honest, I couldn’t enjoy it like I did at Swansea. I played six league games and two cup games; that’s all. After that, I didn’t have the confidence of the manager and went on loan to Charlton, which was good for me.
“The style just didn’t suit me at Leeds. I didn’t see any team play like Swansea did in the Championship. I went to Swansea to watch the game against Leeds last season and you could see the difference between the teams.
“I feel sorry it didn’t work out as I wanted to show them (Leeds) my quality and I couldn’t.
“But Leeds is in the past now and I want to enjoy it at Swansea. I’m with the guys I used to play with and I still know most of them so I’m happy.”
Whites boss Simon Grayson took time out to wish the departing defender well, despite effectively freezing him out of his first-team plans since last autumn.
He added: “It didn’t really happen for Fede here. He had a few injuries and probably didn’t really reach the level of performance everybody expected him to get to when we signed him.
“when we got him from Swansea he was a very capable player who looked part of a team that didn’t leak too many goals. For whatever reason, it didn’t happen for him, whether it was he couldn’t settle up here or in front of the Elland Road crowd or because he got a few injuries.
“But the opportunity came for him to go back to Swansea and we wish him well. He’s a good lad who trained hard and obviously Swansea like him to take him (back) into the Premier League.”
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 6 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
kingbilly
Monday, September 5, 2011 at 10:26 AMsame thing happened to the captain of argentina in manchester. anyone notice who the new argentina manger used to play for.
Rosedale Raider
Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 12:35 PMGood luck Fede, yet another player who could perform before coming to ER and being slaughtered by totally unreasonable so called Leeds fans. Fully expect him to regain his form now he's got a giant monkey off his back. When will people realise that backing is far more productive than booing? Looks like it's Paynter's and O'brien's turns to now be hounded out. Leeds fans the best in the country? do me a favour!
Irememberparisin75
Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 02:03 PMWell I have to cocede, Larry isn't a mug in the transfer market afterall. He's found someone to take Bessone for nothing which has to go down as slick salesmanship, surely the club would have paid someone to take him?
kingbilly
Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 12:32 PMit says it all when a player who can get a game for us is signed up by a premier league side.
Jigzy84
Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 12:15 PMI have to laugh at SG thoughts of why fede only played 6 games, SG reasons "whether it was he couldn’t settle up here or in front of the Elland Road crowd or because he got a few injuries" Fede point is massively over looked the fact is that under SG leeds play the lump the ball up front the MF is always caught going forward with no protection to the DF. It is clear the SG has no clue to solve the SF problems lets face it he has had over 3 years to solve it. Also why do leeds need so many DF players that are CB square pegs round holes come to mind, that we the know protection coming from wide MF players it's hardly a surprise leeds concede so many goals. SG squad selection baffles belief he and KB has said that he has money available KB has gone on record to say how much, the problem is that SG has average players at best who earn the top wages at leeds hence we struggle to sell them. I am so worried as to leeds plans to delve into the loan market we all know how that has worked in the past. I don't see SG being the man to turn this season or the next season around, tactically he is poor, decisions and team selection very questionable, transfer record terrible, Media wise he is terrible regularly given false inaccurate statements to the fans, and charisma character wise lets say none existent. You never here players want to play for leeds because of SG man management or record, just like players leaving really don't have a good word to say about him. time for a parting of the waves for me it should have happened before the start of pre season but can you imagine how the fans would have reacted, now we get the same response from grayson that we have from the last 3 transfer windows. Look at the handling of Billy painter SG was trying to sell him then says billy’s in his plans yeh right more lies more BS, if Billy was bad before imagine what he’s going to be like now, it will be another Grella situation, a SG has no man management skills. The fact is money was there, he choose not to spend it, why I only think because with spending money comes expectations and SG knows he can’t deliver!! I fear the worst from this season not because the squad can’t survive but because SG isn’t up for the job.
Marti
Saturday, September 3, 2011 at 11:51 AMThe state of our summer means we now get an interview with a player telling us how happy they are to leave. Meanwhile, a distinct absence of the kind of article in the YEP that we really want - one asking questions as to what the heck is going on at the club.
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