To O'Helloran and back

By Bill Howell on Mar 5, 08 01:20 PM

It's hard not to feel sorry for Curtis Davies.

But where do you start with Stephen O'Halloran?

At least Davies got a decent run of matches and showed everyone what he is about.

O'Halloran's cruciate knee injury will keep him out, like Davies, for at least six months and, unlike Davies, probably a bit longer on top.

His only consolation? Signing a new contract last October that gives him until June 2009 to prove himself at the top level.

That should guarantee him half a season to try and catch the manager's eye.

It was bad enough him going out on loan to Southampton and playing only 20 minutes. By all accounts Jason Dodd was the orchestrator of that by deciding to pick his mates when he was joint-caretaker of the struggling Saints.

But then for O'Halloran to injure himself in the warm-up before his Leeds debut against Swindon? Well, it beggars belief.

Matthew Upson was out of football for seven months when he injured his Achilles in the warm-up at Villa Park.

It makes me wonder whether yesterday's players had it right? No warm ups as such, just go out and kick a ball for a couple of minutes, wave at the crowd, then back inside the dressing room for a quick cuppa (or something a little stronger perhaps if you were Rodney Marsh, George Best or Stan Bowles).