Former Leeds midfielder Andy Couzens has dropped a shock revelation about the fitness of Samu Saiz, and has claimed that’s reason the star attacker hasn’t been starting games.
Talking on the latest episode of the Talking Shutt podcast, Couzens said that Saiz was overweight and that his attitude off the pitch “isn’t right”.
“He’s still got to prove it to me,” Couzens said.
“He plays in an area he doesn’t really move that much from. He’s got great attributes and he could be world-class. But he’s overweight, he’s not fit enough so he can’t last 90 minutes. They’re facts.
“That’s why he’s not playing at this moment in time. That’s why he’s playing for 20-30 minutes. Bielsa needs him to be fit. He came back unfit, I know he came back unfit.
“Go back to last season, he did it at the start of the season and he did it at the end of the season, but when it’s wet and cold, he hasn’t really done it for us.
“I think he’s not playing because his attitude off the pitch isn’t right. His attitude to his fitness and his eating and drinking plans aren’t as disciplined as Bielsa wants.
“I think we’re more solid when Saiz isn’t there. But when he comes on he gives us a lot in those 20 or 30 minutes. He’s more of an impact player for Leeds than a starting player for Leeds. The petulance that came out, and kicking things, we don’t want to see that at the club. There’s something not right with Saiz.”
OPINION
If Couzens is right – and he still has close links to Leeds and seems adamant about this – it would explain why Saiz has been dropped from the last three Championship games. He got 25 minutes against Nottingham Forest, didn’t come on in the win against Wigan and played 12 minutes against West Brom. That’s a big worry for Leeds fans and this revelation won’t make them happy. When he’s on form, Saiz is their best player and they really need him at 100% if they’re going to mount a serious run at the title. Can Bielsa drill some discipline back into him? You have to think that if anyone can, the new manager can, and maybe a spell on the sidelines will shock him back to his best. Adam Forshaw has come in and done a great job for Leeds for the past three games but Leeds still needs someone like Saiz, with his flair and creativity. It suggests that Saiz isn’t going to be in the starting line-up for a while yet and we’ll be watching what happens with interest over the coming weeks.