Whatever Happened To Peter Reid’s Leeds Loanees?
"Seven players were brought in on loan over the summer by Reid, all of whom had left by the season’s end. So what has happened to the less than magnificent seven since they left Elland Road?"
Having avoided relegation from the Premiership in 2002-03, Leeds United rewarded Peter Reid with the manager’s job on a full-time basis. It also looked a risky decision, particularly given the fact that the excesses of the Peter Ridsdale/ David O’Leary era meant that Reid was unable to deal in anything other than free transfers and loan deals during the close season.
Seven players were brought in on loan over the summer by Reid, all of whom had left by the season’s end. So what has happened to the less than magnificent seven since they left Elland Road?
Jermaine Pennant - Pennant played the vast majority of games during the season, then returned to parent club Arsenal ahead of the 2004-05 campaign. He spent the second-half of that season on loan to Birmingham City, a move that was to become permanent the following summer. After just a season at St Andrews, Pennant was on the move again, this time with a move to Liverpool. Pennant actually played the full 90-minutes in Liverpool’s 2:1 Champions League defeat to AC Milan last term, but his first-team appearances have been fairly limited this season and it seems likely that another move could be on the cards over the summer.
Cyril Chapuis – Monsieur Chapuis will probably be remembered less than any of the other loanees, having made just one Premiership appearance (that as a substitute against Bolton Wanderers) and a couple in the Carling Cup during his short stay on loan from Marseille. Chapuis was on the move again in January 2004 to Strasbourg, then spent the following season at AC Ajaccio – again on loan. Having been released by Marseille at the end of the 2004-05 season, the striker was unable to secure a deal for the following season, but eventually turned up at Ligue 2 Grenoble last term. Chapuis joined top-flight side Metz in January this year, but has been no more than a bit-part player as the club failed to ward off relegation.
Roque Junior – A World Cup winner in 2002, Roque Junior arrived at Elland Road from AC Milan and endured little short of a nightmare in his brief stay with the club (from which he has never really recovered). The Brazilian defender’s stint at Leeds began with a 4:0 drubbing at Leicester City and he was sent-off in his home debut against Birmingham City in a 2:0 defeat. His remaining appearances in a Leeds shirt were a 2:2 Carling Cup draw at home to Swindon Town, a 4:0 Premiership defeat at Everton, a 3:2 defeat at home to Manchester United in the Carling Cup (in which he did at least score both Leeds goals), a 4:1 loss at home to Arsenal and, finally, a 6:1 drubbing at Portsmouth. Roque Junior spent the second half of the season back in Italy, on loan to Siena. At the season’s end he moved to Bayer Leverkusen, but made just 33 Bundesliga appearances in three seasons. He moved to Duisburg at the start of this season but, having started just four games to date, the 31-year-old has now agreed to join Qatar’s Al-Rayyan for a final pay-day.
Salomon Olembe – The Cameroon international was another who joined on a loan deal from Marseille. Olembe stayed at Elland Road for the entire season, although his appearances were few and far between after the first few months. He returned to Marseille at the season’s end, where he stayed (aside from a brief loan spell at Qatar’s Al-Rayyan in 2005-06, where he no doubt put in a good word for Mr. Junior) until joining Wigan Athletic on a one-year contract at the start of this season (having failed to win a deal at Derby County). A move to Turkey’s Kayserispor has now been set for the summer.
Lamine Sakho – Yet another who joined Leeds from Marseille (questions should be asked as to where Reid spent his holiday that summer). Sakho featured fairly regularly (albeit largely as a substitute) until the African Cup of Nations, after which he made just one further appearance. Returned to Marseille at the end of the season, before joining St Etienne the following January, then onto Ligue 2 Montpellier in January 2007. Since leaving Elland Road, Sakho has started less than 30 games.
Didier Domi – The former Newcastle United defender came in from Paris St Germain, but was another to appear only occasionally (nine Premiership starts + three as substitute). Moved to Espanyol at the end of the campaign but, after two seasons in which he failed to make any real impact, he joined Olympiakos in summer 2006. A thigh injury has ruled Domi out for the recently crowned Greek champions since early October.
Zoumana Camara – Brought in from Lens, defender Camara was another who featured in the early months of the season, but was then cast aside. Joined St Etienne at the season’s end, where he was a regular for three seasons. Camara secured a move to Paris St Germain at the start of this season but, despite continuing to hold down a first-team place (something that few of the above have been able to achieve since leaving Leeds), he again finds himself at a big club that is currently fighting a losing battle against relegation.
squarefootball.net
