Roque Junior names the two Premier League clubs he snubbed for Leeds United
Any list of the worst signings in Leeds United’s history is never complete until Roque Junior’s name appears upon it.
On paper, this was the sort of addition which was supposed to lift Leeds United’s back amongst the Premier League’s elite.
The Yorkshire giants had finished 15th in the season before Roque Junior joined on loan. A Brazil international carrying World Cup and Champions League winner’s medals in his luggage, the highly-rated centre-half arrived at Elland Road having produced a superb defensive performance in Milan’s defeat of Italian rivals Juventus during the biggest game in club football only a few months prior.
So, understandably, expectations were high. And, as such, so was the disappointment.
Roque Junior’s disastrous debut was a sign of things to come. He was sent off in a 4-0 defeat by newly-promoted Leicester City. In fact, across his paltry tally of seven Leeds appearances, The Whites’ backline was breached a staggering 25 times with Roque Junior on the pitch.
21 Oct 2000: Zinedine Zidane of Juventus holds offJose Vitor Roque Junior of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy. Mandatory Credit: Grazia Neri/ALLSPORT
21 Oct 2000: Zinedine Zidane of Juventus holds offJose Vitor Roque Junior of AC Milan during the Serie A match between AC Milan and Juventus at the San Siro Stadium in Milan, Italy. Mandatory Credit: Grazia Neri/ALLSPORT
Roque Junior rejected Newcastle and Bolton for Leeds United
Yet, speaking to Four Four Two twenty years later, a man who would go on to enjoy a far happier spell at Bayer Levekusen while taking his tally of Brazil caps to 48 insists that he was still the better for his time in West Yorkshire.
“I saw it as a chance to experience a new league and country, learning new styles of play and immersing myself in new cultures,” says Roque Junior, now 48 years of age. “Unfortunately, my time at Leeds was short, but it was an experience I value.”
The former Palmeiras, Siena and MSV Duisburg man admits that he chose Leeds out of a trio of Premier League suitors.
Newcastle United had finished third that previous season, while Bolton Wanderers were developing quite a reputation for luring big-name talents to Lancashire. Fernando Hierro, Ivan Campo and the legendary Jay-Jay Okocha would represent Bolton during their Sam Allardyce heyday.
“I had a few offers to leave Milan then. Even though I’d played in a Champions League final, I wasn’t getting as many minutes as I wanted,” Roque Junior adds. “I needed a fresh challenge and England always intrigued me.
“I received offers from Bolton and Newcastle, but they didn’t progress far. Then, Leeds made an offer. Leeds are a historic club with a lot of tradition. And, in that period [they had recently played] in the Champions League, which shows how strong they were.”
Leeds famously beat AC Milan at Elland Road in 2000
Roque Junior was part of the AC Milan side who lost 1-0 at Elland Road during the Champions League group-stages in 2000. A game in which Lee Bowyer struck an 89th minute past Dida in the Rossoneri net, such luminaries as Oliver Bierhoff, Andriy Shevchenko and Paulo Maldini returning to Italy empty handed.
“I remember those games being tough for Milan, at home and away,” Roque Junior recalls. “Leeds had passionate fans and that atmosphere stayed with me, so I already had a good impression of the club when the chance to join them came later.”
A quarter of a century later, Leeds United can take one big step towards a Premier League return by beating local rivals Sheffield United at Bramall Lane on Monday night.
According to numbers crunched by stats specialists Opta, Daniel Farke’s Leeds now have a 95 per cent chance of promotion.
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