‘I know that’: Phil Hay says 25-year-old Leeds man was not happy with how he was treated last summer

Daniel James was not happy with how Leeds United treated him in the summer of 2022.

That is according to Phil Hay, who was speaking on the latest episode of the Square Ball Podcast, where he analysed the contribution of James so far this season after his double assist haul against Watford.

James was sent on a season-long-loan to Fulham just over 12 months ago exactly a year on from Leeds splashing out £25 million to sign him from Manchester United.

The 25-year-old had been involved under Jesse Marsch during the first few games of the season, even starting in Leeds‘ 3-0 victory over Chelsea in August.

However, in what was a shambolic deadline day from the Whites, as they tried and failed to sign several strikers until Willy Gnonto’s arrival, James was also shipped off to Fulham in a very last minute deal.

Hay says James wasn’t happy with Leeds treatment
With James now back at Leeds and beginning to re-find his form, Hay has shared how James really felt about the events of deadline day last year.

James can still be a real source of frustration for Leeds supporters but he currently sits top of the assist charts in the Championship, with some of those having been crucial to picking up points.

 

He produced an excellent cross for Luke Ayling’s headed equaliser against West Brom, while he also put it on a plate for Joel Piroe on Saturday while the score was 0-0.

Whether he is good enough to start consistently over Leeds’ other wingers is another question, but he is still playing a key role.He said: “A lower division in the way that it has to help Rutter, it wouldn’t surprise me at all if there was confidence issues there because it wasn’t a great move to Fulham and the way it was handled, I know that James wasn’t particularly pleased about…

 

“But I think what he did on Saturday was quite often what people accuse him of not doing, yes the running was there, sprinting, the counter attacking and the threat to defences on the basis he’s so quick he’s a real handful. The end product was there on top of it and not for the first time either.”