Leeds United sit under a cloud of uncertainty at the moment, and there’s nothing they can do apart from sitting back and waiting for it to all unfold. Meanwhile, The Athletic’s Phil Hay has issued his verdict on the future of Marcelo Bielsa amidst the current situation.
What’s he said?
With only nine games remaining, the Championship season has been put on hold with the Whites sat top of the tree, some seven points off of the dreaded playoff positions.
They’ll have themselves to blame if they cannot end that 16-year wait for top-flight football unless of course, the season becomes void.
Football FanCast’s Isolation Buster, can you beat it?
World Class score: 95% | Expert score: 80% | Veteran score: 65% | Intermediate score: 45% | Amateur score: 30% | Try Again: 5%
As such, there are plenty of question marks over the Argentine’s tenure in west Yorkshire, even more so as he’s out of contract in a couple of months time.
Speaking on The Ornstein and Chapman podcast on Tuesday, Hay delivered his insight into how he sees things panning out, he said:
“Longer-term, you never can tell with him. I am absolutely convinced from speaking to people close to him that he will stay if Leeds are promoted I don’t think there’s any doubt about that.
“[I have] no expectation at all if Leeds face a third season in the Championship, but whether or not his view on that would change were Leeds to be denied promotion by a voided season, I don’t know and that’s a question that’d have to be asked.
“I think in the short-term and if the season is to be finished off, the expectation would be that he will definitely be here, and like anybody else, I can’t see him walking out with 37 games played and promotion right there for the taking.”
Phil Hay on the Ornstein and Chapman podcast.
Bielsa blow
The worst eventuality from a footballing perspective from this situation, especially at Elland Road, is the prospect of losing the very man that has guided them to an elusive feat – or possibly came closest to doing so.
Leeds fans have been waiting nearly two decades to see Premier League action in west Yorkshire after they suffered relegation in 2004.
A fifth-place playoff finish in 2006 was their best attempt at a return until last season when in reality they should have gone up having held the top spot for so long.
Supporters have even had to suffer three seasons in League One, so if this were to be snatched from their grasp and the subsequent outcome of that being Bielsa’s departure, it would be a devastating blow to take.
At least given the 64-year-old’s honourable qualities, he’ll be around until this campaign is complete, but to ensure his long-term future at the club, Leeds ideally need to be in the top-flight next term.
AND in other news, Leeds fans react to ‘Better than Beckham’ footage…
