Marcelo Bielsa – tipped to stay on as Leeds United coach
While many Leeds United Fans are still reeling from the 2 – 4 defeat at the hands of Frank Lampard’s Derby County, bookmakers and pundits are already looking ahead to next year’s championship season.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side failed to gain promotion to the Premier League via playoffs, losing to Derby County in the semi-final second leg, meaning that the Whites will feature in next year’s championship.
This will be the 16th consecutive time that Leeds have been outside the Premier League, since their relegation in 2004 and their playoff record has so far been unimpressive considering that they have lost in the five matches they have participated in so far. These are not pleasant stats for any Leeds fan, especially given the proud history of the club.
It is no secret that having spent more than 100 days at the top of the league table this season, then failing to gain promotion via playoffs, after dropping below Norwich City and Sheffield United is quite heartbreaking. Thankfully, the few weeks or months before next season is enough time for reflections and making of big decisions at Elland Road.
What are the odds of Leeds getting to the Premier League next season?
Having spent weeks at the top of the league table, fans and football enthusiasts are hopeful that come next season, Leeds will have a better chance of promotion to the Premier League. In fact, bookmakers odds support the idea that the Whites will be one of the top contenders in the next Championship season.
The reasons for an expected Leeds United strong next season are pretty obvious. Marcelo Bielsa’s side came so close to gaining automatic promotion but for two nightmare sessions where they were beaten by 10 man Wigan Athletic and Brentford at the Easter weekend.
Also, Leeds United played some of the most outstanding football this season with an intensity and speed that surprised most of their opponents. Actually, the only major criticism came from Patrick Bamford who made several poor finishes.
They also managed to hold their own despite a series of horrific injuries, with key players like Ezgjan Alioski, Barry Douglas, Kemar Roofe, and a few others spending time on the benches due to injuries.
That said, it is important to point out that a large part of this hope rest on whether Bielsa will be continuing as manager of the Whites or not, even though it is not clear what the future holds for the Argentine after Derby County defeat.
If Bielsa agrees to stay on through next Championship season, the odds on Leeds not just faring well in next season’s championship but actually securing promotion via playoffs are very high.
The odds of Leeds United winning the Championship league outright are 10/1, with West Brom and Fulham above them at 8/1 and 7/1 respectively. If you fancy the chances of Leeds United winning the league outright, this Free Bet from Paddy Power allows you get in on the ground floor.
Of the other top sides also in relegation, Cardiff City are tipped to win the division with 12/1 odds and Huddersfield Town at 14/1 to win the league in May.
Thankfully, the chances of this happening, particularly for Leeds United, are strong as reports suggest that Marcelo Bielsa will stay put at Leeds United despite the painful semi-final defeat by Derby County.
Life, Leeds United, the Universe & Everything 
simply put we have to have better quality & depth in the squad & whether it be Marcelo again (please & hopefully?) as with the players there at the mo’ even Klopp or pep wouldn’t have done any better with them?
NOT quantity but a winger, creative midfielder to replace Pablo (he’s shot now IMO?), a centre back & a proper centre forward. (Bamford to nice & has a sly streak in him!)
more importantly no one is sold off to fund the above otherwise what’s the point? (ie Kalvin , Clarkey or Pontus ) other than the waifs & strays of which there are many!
Marcelo must demand these calibre of players arrive as we simply will NOT be able to do this again with the current squad even without the hideous injury list next season!
quite looking forward to watching the loser on Monday (hopefully fwanky twatpards derby county) as they cry into their sick bucket at Wembley!
c’mon the Villa!
Kent white since 1969
LikeLike
Leeds will win the league next season..there, I’ve said it…I feel surprisingly chirpy about this..Of course this all depends on Marcelo staying 😀 Oh, by the way..Up the Villa!
LikeLike
UTV indeed.
LikeLike
Sadly one of best seasons in recent times turned into yet another nightmare Rob which regrettably turned us into the laughing stock of the likes of Wilder, Lampard, John Terry and most employees of Sky Sports
Whilst it was a welcome change for our season to be still alive until 15th May, realistically our season was over after losing to 10 man Wigan in front of a sell out Elland Road crowd.
Obviously lessons will have been learned, even by someone as experienced as Marcelo Bielsa. Surely he will reassess the wisdom of having such a small squad in the Championship marathon especially in light of the relentless serious injuries to key players suffered throughout the entire season. Can he truly guarantee that next season will be any kinder? There needs to be an injection of quality players to replace the poor gambles made in respect of Brown, Harrison etc last season, secure a long overdue replacement for Saiz in midfield and find a proven goal scorer to improve our season long inability to capitalise on our high levels of possession and chances created
I am also a little concerned about early reports that Bielsa has already stipulated the additional structural improvements he wants tweaking at Thorp Arch. Were our training facilities and Academy really below the quality of Sheffield United, Norwich or Derby Rob?
Guess that’s the end of my rant, post mortem and wish list Rob, it is still difficult to come to terms with the evaporation of glory after so many highs and reasons to BELIEVE this season. Hopefully the concerns raised and shared by so many of my fellow Leeds fans will be addressed and not too much responsibility simply placed onto the shoulders of our very promising youngsters next season. ALAW
LikeLike
Retaining Bielsa was all important for me. We were close this season, thanks to his coaching and awareness. Inevitably, we’ll improve further with him at the helm next time around.
LikeLike
It’s not so much about how we failed this season with the usual vultures filling their bellies in delight and I sadly include a small portion of so called Leeds fans in this category. It’s about how so close we came to the dream. This was down to the genius of one man with this uncanny ability to turn ordinary players into our class. Bielsa simply has to stay because it was never on one off contract with promotion in one season. Nobody would genuinely take that on.
Bielsa has now tasted the hardest league in Europe and even he will be better equipped mentally to deal with it. We must hold on to our best assets though. Why would we let the likes of Kalvin leave when we need his brilliant abilities here. We must resist offers and I really believe he wants to finish the job here. Raddrizzani cannot sit on the fence this season. Come hell or high water he must come up with money.
Last week I was inconsolable, but now I’m confident and looking forward to a bigger and better season. As for Lampard and Derby, I hope Villa do a Man City. MOT
LikeLike
Well for the second season in a row we imploded when glory was within our grasp. Last season 2017/18 we were on course to finish in the play offs but blew it. Now this season we either took our foot off the pedal or its managerial blundering. What if Radrizzini is shitting himself at the thought of going up as he simply couldn’t afford it? He was trying to give lame assurances that he had friends who would help out if we went up and it all seemed very dodgy. So now we’re going to have the first team cherry picked by the vultures from the premier league and we’ll be left with the chaff while orta spends the booty on more crocks of shite. If Radrizzini is serious about promotion he’ll get rid of orta and bielsa then appoint Chris Hughton. Oh and get Robbie Reid and Dwight Gayle. We won’t go up with Bielsa I am sure of that.
LikeLike
Thankfully, this comment didn’t age well!
LikeLike
I meant the 2016/17 season not the 2017/18 season.
LikeLike
Leeds mick………..Complete crap
LikeLike
Leeds Mick Bielsa is the ONLY one who will get us up. WE came agonisingly close but the players bottled it after Xmas. Bielsa is staying thank God and the future is white! He gave this club our pride back and if we make it next season he will surely want to coach us in PL. MOT! Derby losing was sooo satisfying ha ha. We’ll have Fwankie crying next season can’t wait to pay them back well done Villa (never thought i’d say that thinking of the oily, cocky Grealish.)
LikeLike
Villa were definitely the lesser of two evils – seeing Lampard’s smug face celebrating would have been quite intolerable.
LikeLike
Too right Rob great article again. Leeds Mick don’t know how you can say Bielsa won’t take us up. He’s the best manager in the Championship by a mile.
LikeLike