Here are your Leeds United morning headlines on Tuesday, February 28.
Ange Postecoglou breaks silence over Celtic future
Leeds United were heavily linked with a move for the Celtic manager to replace Jesse Marsch as their new head coach prior to Javi Gracia's arrival. The Spaniard has since taken over for the remainder of the season, but with the former Watford boss on a flexible contract, there are still doubts over who the long-term manager of the club could prove to be.
Postecoglou has now moved to distance himself with a potential move to Elland Road, as he insisted that although he was aware of the speculation, he is fully focused on the task at hand with Celtic.
READ MORE: Every word Javi Gracia said on Leeds United injuries, FA Cup run, Rodrigo and rotation vs Fulham
Postecoglou said: (via the Daily Record ): “When people say ‘he’s going to go down the road or somewhere else with the first offer he gets’ it’s not how I’m wired, it’s not how I think. For me, what it’s about is just trying to leave a mark wherever I am. I have done that with every football club I have been at. I want to do that at this football club and that is all that consumes me. I don’t think about the next step or I need to go somewhere else or I need to do this or I need to consider other things.
“You don’t go through life oblivious to it [the speculation]. It is not healthy to put the blinkers up and not know what is going on because that tests your desire to keep doing what you’re doing. If people are talking about my future or are interested in my future I will sit there and listen.
"It doesn’t mean I am going to jump at anything that comes my way. I am really passionate about what I do and the people close to me know what is most important to me, what drives me and what keeps me sort of happy in my role...
“I am hoping that over the course of time as long as I’m here - and I am still here even though people have been getting me out the door - all that I do when I am here is just be consumed by what I do and try to make this football club the best it can be and enjoy every minute of it.”
Javi Gracia coy on Leeds United injuries ahead of FA Cup clash with Fulham
Leeds United manager Javi Gracia refused to give too much away regarding his side's injury concerns for the Whites' fifth round FA Cup clash against Fulham on Tuesday night. However, it is thought that the trip to the capital will come too soon for both Pascal Struijk and Liam Cooper.
Leeds will be looking to make it back-to-back wins when they take on Marco Silva's side at Craven Cottage. Victories over Cardiff City and Accrington Stanley in the previous rounds have now set up an all Premier League tie, with the winner progressing to the quarter-finals.
It has been nearly 20 years since Leeds last reached the quarter-finals of the FA Cup and Gracia knows just how much of a morale boost a run in the competition can be. The former Watford boss led the Hornets to the final of the competition in 2019 and the Spaniard now finds himself just two games away from another potential return to Wembley.
Leeds United line-up vs Fulham with Ayling, McKennie, Harrison and Aaronson all dropped
We all fancy a trip to Wembley, don’t we? With the FA Cup quarter-finals within sniffing distance, all appetite for rotation or resting legs has gone out of the window for me.
Leeds United do not have a huge amount of options to even change the defence if I wanted to. With Pascal Struijk and Liam Cooper remaining out of contention, the centre-backs and Junior Firpo look pretty set as they are.
Luke Ayling could feasibly be shuffled inside, otherwise you’re looking at a senior debut for Diogo Monteiro. Max Wober could be moved outside if Firpo needed a sit-down, but, realistically, Rasmus Kristensen is the only card I have to play.
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