Leeds United boss hails impressive sign of Whites progress and gives exciting hint to future

Before Friday night's fixture against Southampton even kicked off, the Whites youngsters saw tonight's EFL Trophy clash at Crewe Alexandra postponed.

Yet that, says boss Michael Skubala, is merely a sign of the club's progress as Leeds United and their youngsters continue on the up.

United's young guns were forced to move in the other direction for the new season following the club's relegation from the top tier of Academy football last term.

But new under-21s boss Skubala knows the sheer reasoning for this evening's Papa John's Trophy clash at Crewe being postponed is evidence of the strength of United's youngsters.

The contest has had to be rearranged for Tuesday, November 1 due to the amount of Leeds players called up for international duty across the club as a whole.

It means that even Skubala's under-21s group is currently depleted but there are no complaints from their head coach who is thrilled with progress on the back of Friday night's 6-2 thumping of Southampton at Elland Road.

"I think it's great for the club because we have got so many internationals away on international duty," said Skubala to LUTV.

"I think it's something like 29 players now on international duty now so part of the challenge on Tuesday was we have got players going away playing for their country.

"We have got Charlie Allen going to Northern Ireland, we have got Alfie McCalmont, we have got a lot of players on international duty with the 21s as well.

"I think that's amazing because we want these players to be in and around the mix of the international set up so we have got less players but we can then take that and start to work on some individual stuff with the players that are still in the building."

Tonight's fixture at Crewe's Mornflake Stadium was set to provide another welcome dose of Leeds action at a time when Jesse Marsch's first team are facing 28 days without a game.

Last Monday night's clash against Nottingham Forest at Elland Road was firstly postponed as the Premier League opted to postpone all of that weekend's fixtures as a mark of respect to Queen Elizabeth II following Her Majesty's passing at Balmoral the previous Thursday.

Top-flight football returned this weekend but Leeds saw their Sunday afternoon contest against arch rivals Manchester United postponed due to events surrounding The Queen’s State Funeral the following day.

There were concerns over the number of officers Greater Manchester Police would have at their disposal and Leeds will not play until October due to the current two-week international break.

The Premier League visit of Aston Villa on Sunday, October 2 will mark the first team's long-awaited return to action and Skubala's under-21s themselves will now have to wait until just two days before that fixture before getting back on the turf.

After tonight's EFL Trophy clash was postponed, the Premier League Two Division Two clash at home to Stoke City to be played at York City's LNER Community Stadium on Friday, September 30 marks their next game.

Skubala's side sit top of the table and unbeaten following a haul of 13 points from a possible 15 - but their coach says there is even more to come.

"Dropped points. Don't like that!" quipped the former England futsal and under-18s coach.

"But I'm only joking. I'm really pleased.

"It takes a bit of time to come into a club, mould and blend with what's going on and the identity that we want to play, for me to learn, for them to learn, for us to create relationships with the players.

"I've been really pleased with the start.

"I want us to be attacking, I want us to attack on the ball, off the ball all the time and I think you can see that.

"I think that's the identity that suits well and I'm really really pleased."

Reflecting on Friday night's display on which first teamers Liam Cooper, Patrick Bamford, Luke Ayling and Junior Firpo all bagged at least 76 minutes upon recovering from recent injuries, Skubala beamed: "I thought the first half they were electric.

"They started well.

"The strategy was we come out, we are electric, we race to the first goal.

"I thought we did that really well.

"We got to half time 4-0 up, I thought we were on it, really on it.

"In the second half we settled it a little bit and probably at times got a little bit complacent but we kept going and credit to Southampton as well because they kept going as well and made a game of it.

"It was really pleasing.

"There were a couple of goals we probably need to tidy up on but the most pleasing thing was I thought we did really well and there's even more stuff to improve on so it's good."