Venables remains frank on Batty's demotion

David Batty looks certain to remain frozen out of the first-team picture at Leeds United for as long as the manager Terry Venables is at the helm.

The club's chairman, Peter Ridsdale, said last week he would give the former England midfielder one more chance to show if he could still play in the Premiership.

That comment was in contrast to Ridsdale's announcement at Leeds' annual general meeting in November that Batty was no longer capable of playing at the highest level due to a series of knee injuries. Ridsdale insisted that was the "unanimous" verdict of Venables, the former manager David O'Leary, the club's medical staff and independent medical advisors.

It immediately led to Batty and his agent Hayden Evans beginning legal proceedings and, although talks are still ongoing between lawyers representing both sides, it is hoped a satisfactory conclusion will be reached by the end of the month. Evans and Batty himself feel the 34-year-old, who still has 16 months of his United contract to run, is up to the task of playing in the top flight.

Venables, though, clearly believes otherwise for Batty has not even been named as a substitute this season for a first-team match, while he also no longer trains with the senior squad. Venables said: "I don't think I want to discuss what the chairman said on that [Batty]. I think it's best left to the chairman to answer those questions. But this is going to come up all the time and I really can't give an answer. I have been very frank and David Batty himself knows where he stands with me and vice versa, so that's where it is."