Relegation with Leeds United has been described by Max Wober as a “terrible experience” that he never wants to go through again.
The Borussia Monchengladbach loanee stated he felt like he had “failed” after the loss and that he doesn’t want to be in the same scenario again where he couldn’t “sacrifice everything” for the team and its personnel.
Despite only joining the Whites from Red Bull Salzburg in January, the Austrian was probably the team’s greatest defender last season. His subsequent loan move to Borussia Monchengladbach was one of the summer transfer window’s most disappointing developments.
Relegation, according to Wober, is “a [crap] feeling, on the one side for you personally, because you feel like you’ve failed. On the other hand, the nature of the matter is made plain throughout the entire process.
“In England, the early impact of budget cuts following relegation is being felt. However, if you continue at the bottom, pressure to give up everything for the club and the staff increases.
“Not being able to do that was a terrible experience and I never want to have it again.”
Although Wober’s arguments are entirely valid on the surface, they probably won’t make many Leeds United supporters feel any better about his eventual departure.
The 25-year-old exploited relegation release provisions in their contracts, just like a large number of other first-team players, to make quick returns to top-flight teams in England or elsewhere in Europe.
Wober isn’t as much to blame for the club’s relegation as some of his Elland Road teammates, but it doesn’t stand up under inspection for those who departed to feel guilty about it since they essentially avoided dealing with the repercussions by failing to advance.
It is quite possible that given the opportunity most players would have done the same as Wober following relegation, and in the same situation plenty of fans probably would have done too.
But when supporters are committed to the club come what may they obviously aren’t going to be delighted when players don’t want to take the rough with the smooth.
Willy Gnonto’s return to the team after trying to leave earlier this season is evidence enough that players can come back, and if they perform well can also win over supporters again.
How many of those who made loan exits this summer end up back at the club next year will be a major feature of the transfer window when the season ends, but if the manner of their exits don’t prove to be a barrier to a return Wober and Luis Sinisterra are probably the most useful to Daniel Farke.
