Fourteen years after leaving Leeds United, Ian Harte decided to take in a game at the club's academy last night.
Watching Leeds' Under 23s take on Birmingham, the former Irish full-back was less than impressed with what he witnessed however.
A product of Leeds' academy himself, Harte was famously one of David O'Leary's promising crop of young players in the late 1990s that would go on to reach the heights of a Champions League semi-final, and a few genuine challenges at the Premier League.
However, taking to Twitter to vent his frustration with what he was seeing (or hearing, rather), Harte appeared greatly troubled by the make-up of the side he was watching.
Fuming tonight, went to watch @LUFC Under 23s v Birmingham. Leeds is losing its identity, as all I could hear was Spanish been spoken by players and manager!!! We are a club that has over years and years brought through quality players. But what I witnessed is players lacking
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) February 2, 2018
Passion, desire to wear the @LUFC shirt with pride!!! Needs sorting ASAP #MOT
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) February 2, 2018
Everyone knows I love @LUFC but too many foreign players in 23s not good enough and killing the younger players pathway!!! Andrea and Victor are very good!!! But something needs addressing ASAP
— Ian Harte (@ianharte23) February 2, 2018
Suggesting that Leeds United were losing their identity, rife as this squad of players was with Spanish speakers, Harte surmised that "too many foreign players" were in the Under 23s, and as such, something was definitely "lacking" in terms of pride for the jersey.
A surprising outburst from the Drogheda man, one Leeds fan was at pains to point out that Harte may have been imagining things.
3 Spanish on the park today and one on the bench. 3 English plus Sarkic who was born here, Romario been in England years, Irish lad, Pole and Dutch lad. 4 English on the bench. Hardly the Armada is it? 1/2
— Mark (@hedgehoguk84) February 2, 2018
In what was a rare and unusual transfer at the time, Harte famously left Leeds in 2004 to join La Liga side Levante.
Spending three seasons at the Spanish club, this apparent irony was not lost on some taken aback by Harte's disheartening summation of Leeds' young prospects.
Didn't you play for Levante? In Spain?
— Barry Glendenning (@bglendenning) February 2, 2018
He was good, too.
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) February 2, 2018
I don't doubt it, but he appears to have stormed into Thomàs O'Robinson 😂
— Barry Glendenning (@bglendenning) February 2, 2018
Carlos Corberan, a Spaniard currently in charge of the Leeds Under 23s side similarly took exception to Harte's assessment that there was little or no passion being shown for the club.
Proud to represent the famous Leeds United academy and I’m proud of every single player, from every walk of life, who battles everyday to fight for their dream #LUFC #Together
— Carlos Corberan (@CarlosCorberan) February 2, 2018
By and large, Harte's comments were not taken to reflect the general perception amongst Leeds fan for the state of their academy.
What prompted him to say it in the first place remains unclear.
