OPINION
With Leeds United failing to make a long-awaited return to the Premier League this season, it’s understandable that the mood around Elland Road is a little low at the moment.
For so much of the campaign, promotion felt like something of an inevitability, so to see it slip away at the last must have been a hammer blow for a fanbase that has already taken a fair beating in recent times.
The misery might not end there though.
With United facing another year in the second tier, and with a decent core of their squad impressing immensely during their close run to the play-offs this time around, it is easy to foresee a situation in which Marcelo Bielsa’s squad are picked down to the bone.
Take Kalvin Phillips, for example.
The midfielder has had a stellar campaign for United, so much so that he is being linked with a move to newly promoted Norwich City, as reported by the Daily Mail.
That would be a major disappointment for Leeds were it to come off, and if there was any doubt over just how much of a disaster it could be, fans need only look as far as the latest comments from Noel Whelan.
Speaking to Football Insider, he said: “Don’t do it, you’re better off at Leeds.
“Maybe Norwich, he would play regularly, but they will struggle to stay in the Premier League. Would he be going anywhere better?
“It might be one season in the Premier League for Norwich and they could be going down in 12 months and Leeds could be going up. Are Norwich going to be competitive in the Premier League? I’m not so sure.”
Supporters will be praying that Whelan’s premonition comes true, not just for the 23-year-old, but for the the club as well.
The key to Leeds doing anything of note next year will be them keeping hold of the core group that made them such a success this year.
If they can do that, maybe bring in one of two new faces, then they can mount a serious title bid.
Losing players like Phillips, however, is a surefire way to ending up back in the doldrums.