Recent rumours of Flynn Downes being of interest to Leeds United seems to have some foundation after ex player Paul Robinson has made comment on the link, not that it was favourable. It comes with the territory that ex Professional footballers like Robinson will be viewed as a form of expert due to their careers in the game. However, was Robinson really thinking that straight ?

The link with Flynn Downes was disclosed by Times journalist Jonathan Norcroft and has to be taken seriously by Swansea City. Not least that Downes is seen as a key player within the clubs personnel for next season. It’s pointless if the club cash in this summer when the mantra has been ‘we are rebuilding’ there will be a loss of faith in the ‘process’ for sure. The whole rebuild has been a constant theme from the club and the manager over this season, and any sale will be seen as selling the supporters of the club short after so many quotes from the club assuring supporters. Downes was most certainly a part of the reason Russell Martin came to Swansea in the first place.

However, due to the source of this information some ‘commentators’ on the game have spoken out regards any potential purchase of Flynn Downes from Swansea City. One such person is ex Leeds United goalkeeper Paul Robinson who is often referenced on Leeds United matters. “He’s not at the same level as Kalvin Phillips — he’s nowhere near, responded Robinson on Flynn Downes. “Look at how big a miss Phillips has been this season. Leeds have got to start shopping at the same shops as the top half of the Premier League. Yes, there are bargains to be had and there are top players in the Championship — look at Jarrod Bowen, for example, at West Ham. But your recruitment has got to be absolutely spot on.”

His comments are surprising, and as a player at Leeds when the club collapsed financially under Peter Ridsdale twenty years ago he clearly has forgotten how spending huge amounts of money impacts on a football club. Robinson continued: “If you are going to lose Phillips, you’ve got to be recruiting at the top table, you’ve got to be looking around Europe for better players, you’ve got to improve. Players do move on and it’s not the end of the world when they do — look at Liverpool and Philippe Coutinho, Fernando Torres and Luis Suarez. They rebuilt the team so there’s always rebuilding and rejuvenation going on if the money is put into the team wisely and the right signings being made. I can’t see Leeds progressing forward if they’re consistently shopping in the Championship when they need to buy better players.”

With all due respects Paul, comparing Leeds to Liverpool ?

Leeds United recently disclosed near sixty five million losses for the last financial season, and back twenty years ago nigh on a hundred million was the deficit. It meant their squad was sold on, to be honest it was completely decimated and they lost a whole group of academy players and internationals. The fire sale revealed a massive issue in the financial dealings of the club.

Leeds United Director of football Victor Orta stated last week “I believe in a project that is one of Marcelo Bielsa’s legacies," Orta told TGG’s Scouting and Recruitment Webinar. "If you believe in youth development you need to prove it. Our idea is eighteen professionals and the other four players all with the under-23s because we believe in youth development and want to give responsibility to the academy.” Not probably what Robinson wants to hear, but every club has cloth that needs cutting to a certain degree. Orta concluded. "The other day we win a difficult game against Wolves with Charlie Cresswell, Sam Greenwood and Kirstoffer Klaesson on the pitch and on another day Joe Gelhardt scores to make it 2-1 against Norwich and Lewis Bate is in the team that beats West Ham. And obviously another time, score with Joe Gelhardt. Or when we win at West Ham with Leo Hjelde. For the medium to long ( which they will not ) then any chance of a transfer to Elland Road for Flynn will not happen. The Leeds philosophy is now build from the academy, and ready players from an early age to progress in to premier league players. Mentioning this in the seminar Orta stated “But I believe in my scouting department. What is better for me ? Spending £1m on Joe Gelhardt or £500m for a 31-year-old striker ? I believe in the first. It’s the only way Leeds can grow. The only other way is ‘I am going to buy [players with established] careers’. But you always lose that way because there are other clubs with more money, more investment. I need to build careers here.”

Robinson possibly needs to look a bit deeper into his thoughts before commenting. He has a long history of controversial comments, however on this occasion let’s hope the football world agrees with him. Flynn Downes is a big part of this process we continue to hear about for next season. And any departure will be seen by swans fans as a complete lack of trust in the clubs reform.

Photographs licensed from Reuters

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