Former Leeds United head coach Paul Heckingbottom has expressed his frustration at not being able to get the most out of Kemar Roofe during his short stint in charge at Elland Road.
Heckingbottom's 16-match spell as Whites boss saw Leeds limp to a 13th-place finish in the 2017-18 season, with the club opting to replace him with Marcelo Bielsa in the summer of 2018.
The ex-Barnsley boss was only able to register four wins during his time in charge and believes that Roofe's injury problems during that period robbed him of one of the club's most influential players.
Speaking after Roofe sealed a move to Scottish side Rangers, Heckingbottom reflected on some of the issues he faced in West Yorkshire.
"Kemar Roofe was an important player for me, and that was also one of the early problems for me at Leeds," Heckingbottom told the Scottish Sun. "In my first game against Sheffield United he got a concussion, and when he returned he suffered another few setbacks.
"That put him out for a number of weeks and he missed four or five games. It was a massive blow for me and the team. He got a tear in his calf and missed a few more games. We eventually got Kemar back towards the end of the season, but it proved too late for me.
"In my time at Leeds he was one of the players I really wanted to work with. But circumstances meant I only got fleeting glimpses of his talent. We got the best of him at the end of that season as a No9, but then I lost my job.
"The following season he played throughout as a centre forward at Leeds and scored some great goals.
"I've no doubt that if Roofe had been available more often during my time at the club that could have proved a major difference for me.
"But he was just unlucky because he is generally a very fit boy. Kemar looks after himself.
Heckingbottom, who last month took up the position of Sheffield United's Under-23s lead coach, followed up his time in Leeds with a stint north of the border with Hibs, but still feels frustration at the hand fate dealt him at Elland Road.
"However, there were other frustrating issues for me to deal with in the squad. There were suspensions and other injuries to key players," he added.
"We never got the best players on the pitch often enough, and Kemar was one of the best.
"Could it have been a different scenario for me at Leeds with him fit? Yes percent goal Yes, 100 percent. He's a goalscorer for sure."
