By Aston
November 13 2004

Ipswich Town defender Drissa Diallo believes that Towns strong team sprit can over come teams with money, like Leeds who visit Portman Road today.

Diallo: Team Sprit Wins

Ipswich Town defender Drissa Diallo believes that Towns strong team sprit can over come teams with money, like Leeds who visit Portman Road today.

Despite massive debts Leeds have managed to spend money since relegation, £600,000 on David Healy only two weeks ago but Drissa believes you don’t need money to win games you need two things you cannot buy team sprit and a settled side.

Drissa: “We have a more settled side now. We may change one or two players but, mainly, it is the same team every week.

“Last season we had about 10 different combinations at the back and we had problems.

“Now we have to cope with a smaller squad but it is actually better. Everyone is fighting for each other, everyone is working even harder for each other.

“You could see that at Burnley, where we didn't play our best game but the high work-rate from everyone got us through.

“For example, Benty scored a couple of good goals but also he worked hard to stop the running of Mo Camara in the second half and that made a big difference.

“Our manager has not spent a penny, yet I hear other managers complaining they have no money to bring in players then go out and spend a couple of hundred of thousand on a player.

“But, with these free transfers and young players, we are doing well, so let us hope we can carry it on.”

Diallo has his own theory on why Leeds are not doing as well as was expected pre-season, adding: “Everyone expected Leeds to be in the top six and they could well still be up there.

“They have been struggling a bit but that is understandable when they have made so many changes.

“It is not easy when three-quarters of the squad are new faces and it takes time to gel as a team.

“But they are getting better. They won at Preston, so we know they will be difficult to play against.

“You just have to look at their bench to see players like Julian Joachim, for example, and you realise how good a squad they have.”

Source: EADT

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