Phil Hay shares Leeds United worry amid aims to return to Premier League
Phil Hay believes that Leeds United may find it difficult to compete with the clubs in the Premier League in order to secure promotion and establish themselves as a top-flight club.
The Athletic journalist spoke on the Square Ball about how the Saudi clubs are now outspending the top sides in the Premier League.
Hay fears that Leeds can get stuck in the EFL given the kind of money that’s being thrown around elsewhere.
He said at 45:28″ “I worry about Leeds not because they don’t have a huge fanbase and not because they aren’t a terrific club with a massive profile but because, I’ve seen in Scotland, the way you can get isolated or pinned in your own patch when the money elsewhere and the profile elsewhere becomes physically impossible to compete with.
“That’s the risk of Saudi Premier League, Man City and other clubs of that amount of money.
“How do you stay relevant as part of that when it’s moving away from you at such a rate? It’s just incredibly difficult to keep up.”
Not doomsday
The money disparity is something that every club faces after they get relegated to the Championship.
The broadcasting revenue is negligible and also players do not fancy a move to the club, something they would not think twice about had Leeds been in the Premier League.
There are undoubtedly going to be challenges but under a new ownership structure and new manager, Leeds can build and bounce back up.
They’ve got among the strongest teams in the Championship and that certainly will count for something this season.
Daniel Farke is also something of a promotion specialist and he’s displayed in the past how he’s performed with a Norwich side arguably not as good on paper as the current Leeds one.
Fans have plenty to be excited about and hopefully, can be celebrating promotion come May – something which is a possibility.
In other Leeds United news, a Whites player now faces over 12 weeks out of action due to injury if the worst-case scenario takes place.