Leeds United star makes Illan Meslier admission and reveals keeper's message on prospect of big decision
Illan Meslier was dropped for the final seven games of the season.
Whites striker Patrick Bamford has made an Illan Meslier admission and revealed the keeper’s message about the prospect of being dropped.
Meslier played every single minute of United’s first 39 games of the Championship-winning campaign but the Frenchman was eventually dropped for the run-in after a series of mistakes.
The former clear first choice keeper was replaced between the sticks by Karl Darlow who then played every minute of United’s last seven games as Leeds went up as Championship champions.
Speaking as a guest on The Ben Foster Podcast, Bamford admitted boss Daniel Farke had made the right decision in dropping Meslier, declaring that matters would only have got worse with another mistake.
Bamford, though, who revealed his own personal message to Meslier, also lifted the lid on the Frenchman’s declaration of support for Darlow upon the prospect of being dropped after the 2-2 draw at Swansea City.
Asked about the aftermath of the Swansea draw - after which Meslier was dropped - and what it was like watching him suffer, Bamford admitted: "It was tough because there had been a few through the season.
"Obviously pretty much he has been here most of the time I have been at Leeds so I know what he's like and I also know that he's like a lot of young players in that he relies on confidence a lot.
“It was just going to be fans on him, everyone on him”...
"You could just see that with every mistake it was getting a little bit worse and I think that it was the right thing to pull him out and obviously you have got Karl there who I think was itching to get in.
"He was waiting and waiting and deserved his chance but I think it was a case of take Illan out of the firing line and let him rest because there wasn't anything good (in keeping him in).
"If he made another mistake it was just going to be fans on him, everyone on him."
Pressed on how he dealt with him in that situation, Bamford explained: “I said to him to be fair, you have played however many games you have played this year (39 consecutive games).
"I said you have done your bit for the team.
"I said there are seven games to go, if you are angry, just don't show it, just support Karl and get on with it.
"I said even if you are angry, hopefully we go up and then you have got eight weeks to mull about it.
"To be fair he actually did alright and after that Swansea game we had like a players' chat in the changing room.
"Josuha (Guilavogui) spoke, Ethan (Ampadu) spoke, a few of the lads spoke and then Illan spoke to be fair.
“He basically backed Karl and said that he was with the team and that if he did get dropped he was still here for everyone."