OPINION
It all seemed as if it was meant to be at Elland Road this season.
After an eternity wandering the wilderness, Leeds United had finally found the man to lead them to the promised land of Premier League football.
Marcelo Bielsa was the charismatic, understated tactical messiah that the Yorkshire giants had been crying out for.
In the blink of an eye, and average Championship also-ran seemed to be transported into the realms of promotion certainty, and all was well at the club.
Now, however, things don’t look so rosy. A disastrous Easter has left United needing some kind of miracle if they are to pip Sheffield United to that last automatic promotion spot, and with their form jarring and a host of hunger contenders chomping at the bit, you have to question their chances of getting up through the play-offs.
There is still a chance, of course, and a decent one at that, but if the unthinkable happens and the alternative is realised, you have to wonder what is next for the club.
Staying in the Championship after they have poured so much into this season has always been a concern, but the latest comments from The Sun journalist Alan Nixon will have fans sweating buckets.
Taking to Twitter on Thursday, Nixon delivered an ominous warning for the club should they fail to go up.
Nixon was asked by a follower: “Al, any idea what’s happening if Leeds stay in the champ? Manager staying? Owner having another crack? Any players or have we put all our eggs on going up?”
In response, he wrote: “Best not to go there just now.”
Best not to go there just now https://t.co/1zMBlpLZHO
— Alan Nixon (@reluctantnicko) April 25, 2019
No matter which way you look at it, that sounds pretty bad.
The obvious worry is the prospect of losing key players, of course, but the far more pertinent concern will be the prospect of Bielsa going.
The Argentine is adored at Elland Road, and with good reason.
This latest comment does not bode well for his future if United fail to realise their Premier League dream.