Willy Gnonto had his reasons, but no one at the St Andrew’s away end was interested in hearing them. Refusing to participate is football’s cardinal sin, though it faces heavy competition, and the cries began in the opening minute against Birmingham City: “Refuse to play, you don’t come back.” And other less printable things.
The game quickly distracted attention, horrible as it was, but Leeds United are in one of those situations where what is on the pitch occupies the mind less than what isn’t. Max Aarons’ decision to leave Elland Road for Bournemouth on Wednesday was a blow, but it was also his choice. Gnonto’s absence from Birmingham represented Leeds being stiffed by one of their own, a red rag to a crowd that hasn’t had much fun this summer otherwise.
Gnonto risked destroying the bridges he created with his panache last season, and if he did not anticipate how the court of opinion would rail against him, the songbook at St Andrew’s said.
So another love affair has ended, a player-crowd romance that now appears to be a fumble in the bushes that meant nothing and means nothing. What does it imply in football? When circumstances are good, a club’s vibe resonates, but this summer in Leeds has proved that no shortage of personalities will slip away when the music stops, whatever there was to smile about previously. For the time being, business trumps sport, and romanticism is dead; not that Leeds’ recruiting thus far has led anyone to believe that the Championship is theirs to lose.
The Gnonto tale was complicated by Luis Sinisterra’s absence from Birmingham and absence from the traveling party. Daniel Farke would only go so far as to describe
Gnonto’s absence from Wednesday’s League Cup tie against Shrewsbury Town told a narrative about where his mind was at, but he had Leeds guessing by showing up for training on Thursday and Friday as planned and training with enough zeal for Farke to plan on using him against Birmingham. It wasn’t until the team bus was about to leave that Gnonto told Farke that he didn’t want to make the trip; that his mind was elsewhere, and that if he got his way, so would his future.
Part of his motive for wanting to go is that he believes his selection in the Italy squad for the Euros next summer will be contingent on him playing top-flight football before then. But, unlike Sinisterra and Adams, who was signed by Chelsea until he wasn’t on Friday afternoon, Gnonto’s contract with Leeds contains no departure clause in his favor, making it difficult for him to manufacture a transfer.
Leeds’ new ownership warned Gnonto early last week that he would not be sold and reinforced that message to him when he dropped out of the Birmingham match, in what is turning out to be a crucial test of commitment. Everton, the team that appears to be most interested in him, has made an offer of less than £20 million ($25.4 million), which is far less than the asking price.
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