The Importance of Being Ernest

We’ve been here before brothers and sisters. An impressive start, maybe this season too impressive and our hopes lift as do our expectations.

A little like your first kiss, seems good but you just don’t get it right, it (like a few things) takes time and effort to get it just right.

I’m not going off subject too much because I truly believe that the run that took us to the top of the Championship came about one season too early and as a result the performances since those heady days seem far removed.

You also have to remember who we played in those early season games, Bolton, Burton, Forest and Sunderland. Most if not all of these teams are stuck at the lower end of the league still and only Forest look capable, sometimes of getting into the top half of the league.

What I am asking for is a little honesty from the people upstairs at Leeds. We know the club was basically on it's arse pre-Radrizzani. Cellino, GFH and Bates have taken as much as possible out of the club, good players have been sold for less than they were worth and contracts left to run to the last year. Something had to change.

It is common knowledge that Radrizzani is in to Leeds for not short of ninety million quid, ground bought and massive parts of it brought from the Stone Age. Banners fly from outside the stands and our history celebrated outside the South Stand. Everything I’ve mentioned gave the fans a much needed boost after years of being treated like lemmings.

The big question that was asked during the poor run was when the transfer window was open would the recruitment be already organised and ready to come into the club, the answer seems to be - maybe. There seems to a fair few young ‘guns’ coming in to boost the under 23 squad but at the moment the only first team player in is Laurens De Bock, a much needed left back.

The question that remains is how serious is the new owner about getting promotion this year? We know that he has a five year plan to get the club to the Premiership but is part one of the five a top ten finish or like Andrea has stated more than once a top six place. If it is the later I think that he may be asking a lot of the Head Coach who previously worked outside England and the untried foreign players brought into the club during the summer.

This is another season when the club is positioned in a good place, despite the set backs of recent games, one or two Championship tried players (a midfielder and at least one striker) brought in could mean the difference between top ten finish and a SERIOUS challenge to the team’s below Wolverhampton Wanderers.

Many might not agree with me but please don’t let this be another season when we say “what if”. With teams coming down season after season coming into the Championship with parachute payments now is the best chance in a few years to get out of this league.

With two weeks left of this season’s last transfer window, a little clarity from the owner might be welcome. The fans have backed him, over 30k most home games and every away game sold out. Also consider that there are a record number of season tickets sold and the club has extended it's deadline for the purchase of half season tickets, more proof that the fans are totally behind Radrizzani.

I’m hopeful that the investment is forthcoming and Leeds finally achieve the ‘promised land’, but if the club is to do it gradually then say so and the majority of fans will respect the decision but maybe not like it!

Honesty in this case, is the best policy.

MOT

By Keith Ingham