Steve Evans had a good impact at Leeds United despite what many think of him. We were in turmoil and he did exactly what he was brought into the club for, stabilise us and pave the way for a new coach, Garry Monk being that man. He didn’t make many signings at the club, Mustapha Carayol and Liam Bridcutt on loan, and Toumani Diagouraga who has now joined Plymouth Argyll.
To be fair to Evans his signings weren’t bad at all give he had little money, next to no backing and a circus going on in the background at times. Fan protests, owner mishaps and players underperforming Evans had to ignore the lot and get on with his job. He made mistakes, he had some very good results and got the best out of some players at the club. Toumani Diagouraga looked a very good signing initially and he looked like being a key player even once Evans had left the club. A goal on his full debut at Bolton, against Wolves and Reading he certainly made an impact and it was surprising when Monk didn’t use him after he started the opening game at Queens Park Rangers last season, although he did have a disaster.
Diagouraga, known as “Dave” has today linked up with Plymouth Argyll, a club very much on the up after a few traumatic years in the bottom tier of the English Football League. Peter Ridsdale had a role in some capacity when their money woes began a few years back, something that won’t surprise Leeds fans but under new guidance they are making their way back up the Football League and they have begged themselves a very good player at League One level. A strange awkwardness in Dave’s style always hung over him but it didn’t hamper him, in fact it gave him a look that made players stand off him slightly, and he certainly loved a tackle. Good luck to the midfielder on the south coast.
