Viduka set to leave Leeds after Reid reads riot act

Gordon Tynan
Tuesday 29 July 2003 00:00 BST
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Mark Viduka's Leeds future is in doubt again after the Australian striker held talks at the weekend with the club's manager, Peter Reid.

Leeds, who have always insisted Viduka is not for sale, stress that the Australian has not handed in an official transfer request, although the 27-year-old was linked with Milan and Tottenham among others at the end of last season.

Reid said: "I have had a talk with Mark Viduka about his career, but nothing official has come out of these talks." Reid was furious about Leeds' performance in the 4-2 defeat at Burnley on Sunday, when Viduka was substituted.

After Sunday's game, Reid made his feelings clear and only Alan Smith was spared. "There's a lot of work to do and the players have to ask themselves a lot of questions," said Reid. "Do they want to play for Leeds United? Well, do it my way or otherwise see you later."

The former Leeds striker Harry Kewell is threatening to retire from international football in a row surrounding his agent Bernie Mandic. The game's world governing body, Fifa, has asked to see the paperwork following Kewell's £5m transfer from Leeds, and he said: "If Soccer Australia is going to let agents that they control get away with using me to big-note themselves, then they can forget it, there is no point playing for them ... If Soccer Australia can't protect their own players from this sort of garbage, then why should I bother?"

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