Graham Smyth outlines 'stark' Premier League survival challenge in exclusive Leeds United documentary
The odds will be stacked against Leeds United next season.
YEP chief football writer Graham Smyth has outlined the difficulty Leeds United face in surviving next season - but believes there is still plenty for fans to get excited about.
Speaking exclusively to ‘Leeds United: We Are Premier League’, a brand new documentary following last season’s incredible Championship title win, Smyth admits the challenge of survival is massive, with all three newly-promoted teams going straight back down in each of the previous two campaigns. But there is also a growing level of excitement around Elland Road ahead of what chairman Paraag Marathe has already described as the most important summer in decades.
Owners 49ers Enterprises have ambitions of climbing back towards European football but know the importance of not looking too far ahead, with anything above 18th place next season considered a success. And while the challenge awaiting Leeds is daunting, this summer will be hugely exciting for fans as new faces arrive and the prospect of some massive fixtures becomes reality.
Graham Smyth outlines Leeds United survival challenge
“It is very much about how to survive,” YEP chief football writer Smyth said. “It’s not ‘let’s go and attack the Premier League and let’s finish top ten’. The last couple of seasons have shown just how arduous and difficult it is to stay in the Premier League as a newly-promoted team. Even teams spending £100million haven’t got close to the standard they need, the consistency they need, the points tally they need.
“Everyone will be aware of that. No one needs to remind the owners what they need to do because the Premier League table over the last couple of seasons has shown it very starkly. But there's also an excitement to that because we will start to see new faces and I think if they do get the recruitment right, fans will rightly start to get excited about having a go.”
Few in West Yorkshire are expecting Leeds to replicate their previous top-flight return, with Marcelo Bielsa guiding the Whites to an incredible ninth-placed finish while retaining the full-throttle style of play he is famous for. There will likely be long periods where it is difficult to see the next victory, but Farke’s confident squad will also see plenty of opportunity to beat those around them.
“There are leagues within leagues within the Premier League, it feels like, where you are essentially competing in a mini-competition with the teams around you,” fellow YEP writer Joe Donnohue added. “Leeds will have to navigate that next season as well as hopefully targeting one or two big scalps along the way. But I think most fans are very realistic that it'll be a very hard slog to stay in the division but ultimately that would represent a success.”
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