Paul Heckingbottom: 'Chairman criticism won't affect Leeds United squad'

Head coach Paul Heckingbottom has insisted that criticism from Leeds United chairman Andrea Radrizzani will not affect his first-team squad.

Earlier this week, Radrizzani claimed that there had been a lack of "commitment" and "passion" in some of the club's recent performances, with the Yorkshire giants dropping outside of the top half of the Championship standings.

However, Heckingbottom has acknowledged that Radrizzani is entitled to express his opinion having witnessed his club drop away from a playoff position at the second tier.

The 40-year-old is quoted by Sky Sports News as saying: "The players have been fine; part and parcel of being in this game is expectation. The owner's put his money in and has every right to say what he thinks is right. The players know that. It won't change the players' focus.

"One of the things we have got to have is a real winning mentality and that's not just the players. That's across the board, everyone has to be better. When I look at it, errors have cost us more but in the Middlesbrough game we were outfought. That can't happen. We have to out-battle other teams.

"But there is not a disconnect at the football club, there's a real togetherness."

Heckingbottom has recorded one win and three draws from his first seven games in charge of Leeds.