Leeds United's players now have perfect opportunity to gain edge over Premier League rivals - Tony Dorigo

Leeds United are facing six games over 23 days for their Festive fixtures and this is always a really important time of the season.
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It is always difficult as well with players with families and what have you because they are building up to the big day and you really have to just take a back seat and make sure you do prepare doubly well.

It is such an important time in the season and, if you can get on a roll of form at the right time during these December games, then you are flying up the table.

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I always looked at it thinking can I sacrifice as much as I can and is everyone doing the same thing? Can I get an edge somehow?

BUSIEST TIME: Leeds United started off a run of six Premier League games within the space of 23 days with Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Chelsea, above. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.BUSIEST TIME: Leeds United started off a run of six Premier League games within the space of 23 days with Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Chelsea, above. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.
BUSIEST TIME: Leeds United started off a run of six Premier League games within the space of 23 days with Saturday's 3-2 defeat at Chelsea, above. Photo by Mike Hewitt/Getty Images.

It is all about making sure that you prepare the best that you can and I always thought of Christmas as another opportunity to show how committed you were and make sure you are absolutely ready for each and every game.

You have to be because the games come so quick and fast.

For me, it was about making sure that you always did your routine and you always did your maximum in preparation whether that be basics like your sleeping and eating.

You can imagine at Christmas time, you can get dragged around and it’s ‘we need to go to this shop to buy this present or that present’.

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But on a Friday, I am not walking anywhere if it’s a home game because I have trained in the morning and now is the time to make sure you prepare, you recharge and you are absolutely raring and ready to go.

Sometimes you have got all the commotion of family and this and that and the other and that is difficult.

It was difficult for myself because I had two small children growing up through the football and you have got to make sure, at times, that you put that to the side.

We normally do that anyway but, at Christmas, it just seems that much harder and it’s a bit more of a sacrifice.

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Whatever job you do, you get pluses and minuses, simple as that. I always looked at it as a balance; you get good and bad stuff.

With football, the bad stuff is that I never really properly celebrated Christmas for 19 years.

My birthday is on New Year’s Eve and I never really celebrated that for 19 years as we were always playing the next day.

But that’s just what it is and that’s what you have to do.

The good bits are that I used to go training at nine o’clock and I would be back for like two in the afternoon.

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I could drop the kids off at school and pick the kids up from school and then spend time with them in the afternoons when other mums and dads couldn’t do.

You get good stuff and bad stuff but the bad stuff is around this period; it’s Christmas.

It becomes difficult and that’s where it’s doubly important and, for the team especially with where Leeds are at the moment, this period is absolutely critical.

But one thing I have always said about this Leeds team over the last two or three years is that their commitment can never be questioned.

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They put absolutely everything in and that really is admirable.

I just embraced this period really. I came over at 15 and all I have ever known throughout my adult growing up was that Christmas was a no-go basically.

It was the game the next day and it was ways to avoid brussel sprouts, simple as that. You don’t have them!

You made sure you were still having your proteins and your carbs and all that stuff.

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For me, I used to live the Christmas period but it was more to do with the atmosphere at the games.

Everybody is happy and I always thought that the Boxing Day fixture was brilliant.

It was cold, it was Christmassy but it always felt like a new beginning and everyone was happy and pleased and you just wanted to get out there and perform for them.

I always really enjoyed it and I also enjoyed it from a physical point of view.

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It was taxing and it was testing but the harder it was the more I enjoyed it, to prove yourself almost.

You were always pushing those boundaries and you certainly need to be strong mentally do that.

More and more games in this period certainly do test you.

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Thank you Laura Collins