Viduka: Reid Tried To Make Me Look Bad

Last updated : 13 November 2003 By Kevin Markey
Viduka also said he was keen to stay with Leeds.

"People react differently to different situations," Viduka told The Australian newspaper.

"I felt I didn't deserve to be dropped from the team to play Portsmouth.

"I still haven't been told why. I suppose looking back he (Reid) saw me as the easiest target to blame for a string of bad results.

"Reid tried to make me look bad. I've been at this club for three and a half years and I've not had any problems with previous management.

"Reid first dropped me from the team because someone had told him I was late for training but that wasn't the case.

"In fact I turned up early... to get treatment from the club physio for a lower back problem.

"The reason I wasn't out on the training ground with everyone else at the time was because I was still getting heat treatment.

"I told one of Reid's assistants but that message was never passed on.

"To tell you the truth I'm happy at Leeds.

"I'm just as disappointed as the next guy with the way things started under Peter Reid this season. But the season is still early and deep down I know we're good enough to get out of the cellar.

"I've got two and a half years to run on my contract and I've got no plans at this stage to leave unless the club wants to sell me."