Karl Robinson has shared what Liam Cooper said to the Leeds United squad after their relegation was confirmed last season.
Robinson was speaking on TalkSPORT about his time at Elland Road.
With relegation looming, Leeds turned to Sam Allardyce to try and save them from returning to the second tier.
Allardyce brought Robbie Keane and Karl Robinson with him as part of his coaching staff.
Unfortunately, with just four games left to play, Allardyce and his staff couldn’t pick up the required points.
Now, under new boss Daniel Farke, Leeds are hoping to make an immediate return to the Premier League.
Their squad has changed an awful lot in that time already, with many players heading out the door.
Robinson has shared that this may be something to do with what Liam Cooper said when Leeds were relegated after a defeat to Tottenham.
The 31-year-old defender made his feelings clear in the dressing room that afternoon.
Robinson shares Cooper message after Leeds relegation
Asked about his time at Elland Road, Robinson said: “I tell you what, you’ve got Luke Ayling, you’ve got Liam Cooper, you’ve got Stuart Dallas, Patrick Bamford, just really good lads who have obviously been promoted with them, felt the pain of the relegation.
“At the end of the game against Tottenham, Liam Cooper’s stood up and everyone was down and a little bit struggling with what’s just happened and he actually said a few words.
“And I thought to myself, do you know what, there’s a proper man, someone who literally said, ‘If you don’t want to be here next year, don’t come back.’
“I sort of looked at him and you could see there was a steeliness in his eyes that he was so determined to drag Leeds United back to the Premier League.”
Very few Leeds fans will be surprised by Robinson’s story about Cooper.
He’s been a leader in the dressing room for years and after suggestions he might leave in the summer, Cooper could be vital to returning immediately to the Premier League.
Cooper has been supporting his teammates throughout the summer and will hope those remaining respond to his message and stick around next season.