Sporting Directors aren’t usually keen on stepping into the limelight or turning into public figures, but Leeds Sporting Director Victor Orta has long defied that trend.
The Spaniard is known to be Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani’s right-hand man, having been a part of the club’s administration ever since the Italian took over at Elland Road.
As per his job description, the 44-year-old has been responsible for the club’s transfers and managerial hires, while also taking charge of the overall squad building.
While all this is very much in the realm of a typical Sporting Director, Orta differs from the rest by being a rather animated individual.
The man is filled with a genuine passion for Leeds, but sadly, it always runs the risk of boiling over.
An example of this came last season when Orta practically shushed Brentford VIPs and added a bit of spice to the normally serene Director’s box.
More recently, he appeared to mock travelling Leeds fans after hearing chants calling for him to resign amid the club’s dire form.
Orta’s antics have turned him into a divisive figure at the club, and his consistently failing search for a manager to take over at Elland Road hasn’t helped either.
After the dismal reign of Jesse Marsch, a number of fans were already on the fence about the Spaniard.
The opinion worsened following Orta’s failure to appoint a long-term coach, as per reports a quartet of managers including Arne Slot, Carlos Corberan, Marcel Gallardo and Andoni Iraola all passed on the Leeds job.
Sentiment around the Spaniard has degraded to such a degree that fans have begun calling him out for a supposed PR move, despite there being no evidence of that being the case.
It all occurred after Comedian and Leeds supporter Jack Carroll tweeted out a picture alongside Orta, and paired it with it a story that displayed the Spaniard in a positive light.
As per Carroll, Orta sorted out a ticket for him for Leeds’ recent game against Fulham at Craven Cottage, and he did so after a chance meeting at Kings Cross station.
He further went on to state that ‘Victor really loves Leeds as much as you and me!’.
In London for work, without a Fulham ticket until I met Leeds director of football Victor Orta in Kings Cross station who’s sorted me out with a ticket for the game. What a club. Victor really loves leeds as much as you and me! #lufc#motpic.twitter.com/VwxyQAlUO5
They found the chance meeting to be a little too coincidental and also felt that the gesture itself wasn’t all that generous.
Giving a free ticket to a famous individual is standard practice, had Orta handed one to a random supporter, the opinions would have certainly been different.
Fans felt that the entire story was a bit of PR carried out using an influencer, some even accused Carroll of accepting tickets as a bribe.
To his credit, the Comedian stood his ground and responded to the noise, he praised Orta’s contributions, especially for bringing in Marcelo Bielsa, while also stating that he doesn’t have a ‘short-term memory’.
To all the folk slagging Orta and a few slagging me, he was instrumental in bringing us Bielsa, Premier League football and some of the happiest footballing memories of my life. As a season tkt holder, He’s alright by me and always has been. Sorry I don’t have a short memory. https://t.co/pMhkRBj3vR
