OPINION
Paul Heckingbottom’s reign as Leeds manager has hardly got off to the best of starts.
The Whites have won just one of his six matches in charge so far, squeezing past Brentford 1-0 at Elland Road.
In that time they have secured two draws, both coming against promotion candidates in Bristol City and Derby County.
Finally, and most importantly, they have suffered three devastating losses to Sheffield United, Middlesbrough and Wolves.
It is those losses that have essentially ended the Whites’ promotion hopes for another season, with the club now almost resigned to another campaign in the Championship.
And Heckingbottom’s latest comments on the future of one of the club’s key players should worry fans no end as they prepare for another season in the second-tier.
Spanish midfielder Pablo Hernandez, who has been one of the club’s brightest attacking sparks since joining in the summer of 2016, is out of contract at the end of the season, and has clearly vocalised his desire for a new deal.
As quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Heckingbottom said: “Pablo has been a really positive light for us, a really positive light in the games we’ve had him fit and available for. In the short term the priority is everyone helping to keep him fit and making sure we can get as many minutes from him as possible.
“With the season the way it is and Pablo’s contract situation, we want to make sure we get it right one way or the other. We want to give Pablo every opportunity to perform for us. The priority is keeping him on the pitch and then we see what happens after that.”
Let’s get this straight. Letting Hernandez leave would be a massive error from Heckingbottom.
The four-time Spain international has been one of the club’s best attacking outlets in recent times, and is a player who knows the club and the competition well.
Hernandez contributed six goals and eight assists for Leeds in the Championship last season, and has four goals and seven assists so far this campaign.
His contribution to the team goes further than that though, as the attacking midfielder acts like a glue to bring together their attacking play.
The 32-year-old has made it abundantly clear that he wants a new contract at Leeds, so why not give him one?
He is guaranteed to give you goals and assists every season, and is therefore a risk-free investment.
For Heckingbottom, who is just making his way in the first big job of his career, that should be a godsend.
Instead, it is looking possible that the club will release Hernandez at the end of the season.
That would be a massively worrying sign for Leeds fans, who realise the punt that their club have taken by hiring Heckingbottom, and now must be frightened for the future.