James Trafford ya bayyana kakar kakarsa ta ƙarshe tare da Manchester City a matsayin «ta ban tsoro sosai», yana bayyana yadda rashin lokacin wasa ya yi tasiri a kansa — kafin ya koma Leeds United ta hanyar yarjejeniya ta tarihi a lokacin rani da ya wuce.

City sun sake sanya hannu kan Trafford a watan Yuli 2025, shekaru biyu bayan da ɗan wasan da aka horar da shi a cibiyar ƙwararru ya bar kulob ɗin don shiga Burnley a Championship. Amma cikin makonni shida na dawowarsa, Gianluigi Donnarumma ya isa daga Paris St-Germain. Ɗan wasan ƙasa da ƙasa na Italiya, wanda ya taimaka wa kulob ɗin Faransa lashe Champions League dare-dare kafin haka, nan da nan ya zama mai tsaron gida na farko, ya bar Trafford ba tare da damar wasa ba.

Bayan ya fara wasanni uku na farko na kakar, Trafford mai shekara 24 ya yi ƙarin farawa ɗaya kawai na Premier League a cikin wasanni 35 da suka biyo bayan isowar Donnarumma.

Nauyin tunani na zama kan benci

Yana magana a kan Football Daily's The Football Interview, Trafford ya yi magana da gaskiya game da yadda wannan lokaci ya yi masa wuya. «Wane ji mai ban tsoro, mai ban tsoro sosai. Rashin wasa,» in ji shi.

«Kana kiran mutane da yawa kawai don zubar da hankali. Kamar mafi yawan mutane, ka sami ranar aikin gida mai muni kuma ka turo wani. Ina kiran baba na, mahaifiyata, matata, abokan aikinata. Ina son kiran abokan aikinata mu yi kyakkyawar hira game da komai. Yana da ban dariya sosai.»

Duk da ƙarancin lokacin wasa, Trafford ya ba da gudummawa mai kyau a muhimman lokuta — yana fara ƙarshen wasan League Cup da FA Cup guda biyu a Wembley, wanda ya taimaka wa City lashe kofuna biyu. Yana kallonsa daga baya, ya zaɓi ganin wannan kakar a matsayin ƙwarewa mai kyau. «Ba na tsammanin kakar ta kasance mai takaici a ƙarshe domin na koyi abubuwa da yawa, na inganta sosai kuma na lashe kofuna biyu a cikin shekara ɗaya,» in ji shi. «Ina kallo baya, ina godiya sosai ga wannan gogewa. Wane shekara mai ban mamaki.»

Buri tare da Ingila yana raye

An saka Trafford cikin jerin Thomas Tuchel na Ingila don Gasar Duniya ta 2026, ko da yake bai shiga wasa ba. Ya bayyana kwarewar a matsayin «mai ban mamaki» kuma ya ce ta ƙara masa sha'awa. «Ban yi wasa ba, amma haka abubuwa suka kasance,» in ji shi. «Ban yi tsammani zan yi wasa lokacin da aka kira ni ba. Na san rawar da nake takawa, amma kana ɗaukar ƙwarewar da yawa gwargwadon iya, kana koyo daga gare ta kana ci gaba da ƙoƙarin cin gajiya kowace rana.»

Manufarsa ta dogon lokaci, duk da haka, ta bayyana sarari. «Shi ne burina kuma wani abu ne da kullum na yi mafarki a kansa,» in ji shi lokacin da aka yi masa tambaya game da zama mai tsaron gida na farko na Ingila. «Kowace rana ina ƙoƙarin ci gaba da ingantawa domin in sanya kaina a mafi kyawun matsayi don zama mai tsaron gida na ɗaya na Ingila wata rana.»

Fara da ƙarfi a Leeds

Trafford ya shiga Leeds United ta yarjejeniya mai darajar har £45 miliyan — tarihi ga mai tsaron gida ɗan Birtaniya. Tun ya iso Elland Road, ya fara duk wasanni tara na Premier League na kulob ɗin a wannan kakar, yana hana kwallo sau uku. Kulob ɗin Brighton da Arsenal kaɗai ne da suka ci da ƙarancin kwallo fiye da ƙungiyar Daniel Farke, waɗanda ke matsayi na 12, maki biyu kawai daga wuraren Turai.

Trafford yana da kwarin gwiwa game da makomar Leeds. «Na tsammanin kulob ce mai ban mamaki. Kana ganin mabiyansa, kowa a nan — wuri ne mai ban mamaki wanda yana ci gaba da inganta,» in ji shi. «Da mun so mu koma Turai. Babban manufar ita ce ci gaba da ingantawa.»