BLACKWELL CAUTIOUS FOR LEEDS FUTURE: Sporting Life | Premiership, Coca Cola & Scottish Leagues, Football News, Live Scores, Results
Kevin Blackwell feels Leeds can win this season's Coca-Cola Championship - but is also mindful of following in the troubled footsteps of Yorkshire rivals Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley.
Over the last few years all three have graced the Premiership, only to take a mighty fall into what was the Second Division, flirting with financial oblivion along the way.
Bradford represent the worse-case scenario for Leeds for twice they have almost gone out of existence, most recently this summer, and the club continue to tread a fine line.
There is the fear that if Leeds, with debts still raging at around £50million, do not make an instant return to the Premiership this season, then they could plummet still further on and off the field.
But, despite overseeing the departure of 21 players this season following relegation in May, Blackwell is confident he is rebuilding a squad which can challenge at the top of the table.
"I think everybody here knows if the squad I have plays to its potential then it could win this league," insisted Blackwell.
"I think with the extra three to four first-team players I will bring in, people will look at the squad and think that on paper we have a chance.
"But then if you looked at our squad on paper last season we should have stayed in the Premier League, so you don't take anything for granted.
"I know how hard it is going to be because come August 7 every team in our division will set off with the hope and aim of getting promoted. Obviously I'm no different.
"If we can bed the players in and do well there's no reason why we can't have a solid season, although many people will feel success for us will be to stay in the division.
"Particularly if you take into account the clubs who have dropped out of the Premier League and been heavily burdened by debt like Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford, Barnsley and Wimbledon.
"It's in the back of your mind what happened to those clubs. It shows how they have had to deal with the financial ramifications of dropping from the Premier League.
"So I'm under no illusions, and neither are the board, that's it's going to be a tough job and that the next year is crucial to us, but at least we are starting out by being a lot more solid club on and off the pitch."
Blackwell is aware the expectations of the supporters must be tempered with a dose of realism, which is why he has not rushed into making signings - with nine so far - ensuring the money he has had to spend on wages brings in the right quality of player.
"The first thing is we must make sure we grace the division we are in, but with the aim and an ambition of getting back to the Premier League as quickly as possible," assessed Blackwell.
"We have to do that without putting too much burden on the new players and new board and without raising expectations of fans that cannot be realised.
"This club has had expectations raised to such a level, only to be dashed so cruelly by the implosion of the financial state of the club, something we are trying to learn from.
"Some of the clubs that went down maybe brought in players of a calibre that club did not deserve and if you bring in sub-standard players, you play sub-standard football in sub-standard leagues.
"I'm trying to make sure we get the right type of player and the board know that and are trying hard to help me do that."
Leeds play Valencia in a pre-season friendly at Elland Road tomorrow, harking back to their glory days of just three years ago when United faced the current reigning Spanish champions and UEFA Cup holders in a Champions League semi-final.
The fortunes of the two clubs since then could not be more marked, but Blackwell said: "We've hit hard times and bounced back, and I've no doubt we'll bounce back again."
Kevin Blackwell feels Leeds can win this season's Coca-Cola Championship - but is also mindful of following in the troubled footsteps of Yorkshire rivals Bradford, Sheffield Wednesday and Barnsley.
Over the last few years all three have graced the Premiership, only to take a mighty fall into what was the Second Division, flirting with financial oblivion along the way.
Bradford represent the worse-case scenario for Leeds for twice they have almost gone out of existence, most recently this summer, and the club continue to tread a fine line.
There is the fear that if Leeds, with debts still raging at around £50million, do not make an instant return to the Premiership this season, then they could plummet still further on and off the field.
But, despite overseeing the departure of 21 players this season following relegation in May, Blackwell is confident he is rebuilding a squad which can challenge at the top of the table.
"I think everybody here knows if the squad I have plays to its potential then it could win this league," insisted Blackwell.
"I think with the extra three to four first-team players I will bring in, people will look at the squad and think that on paper we have a chance.
"But then if you looked at our squad on paper last season we should have stayed in the Premier League, so you don't take anything for granted.
"I know how hard it is going to be because come August 7 every team in our division will set off with the hope and aim of getting promoted. Obviously I'm no different.
"If we can bed the players in and do well there's no reason why we can't have a solid season, although many people will feel success for us will be to stay in the division.
"Particularly if you take into account the clubs who have dropped out of the Premier League and been heavily burdened by debt like Sheffield Wednesday, Bradford, Barnsley and Wimbledon.
"It's in the back of your mind what happened to those clubs. It shows how they have had to deal with the financial ramifications of dropping from the Premier League.
"So I'm under no illusions, and neither are the board, that's it's going to be a tough job and that the next year is crucial to us, but at least we are starting out by being a lot more solid club on and off the pitch."
Blackwell is aware the expectations of the supporters must be tempered with a dose of realism, which is why he has not rushed into making signings - with nine so far - ensuring the money he has had to spend on wages brings in the right quality of player.
"The first thing is we must make sure we grace the division we are in, but with the aim and an ambition of getting back to the Premier League as quickly as possible," assessed Blackwell.
"We have to do that without putting too much burden on the new players and new board and without raising expectations of fans that cannot be realised.
"This club has had expectations raised to such a level, only to be dashed so cruelly by the implosion of the financial state of the club, something we are trying to learn from.
"Some of the clubs that went down maybe brought in players of a calibre that club did not deserve and if you bring in sub-standard players, you play sub-standard football in sub-standard leagues.
"I'm trying to make sure we get the right type of player and the board know that and are trying hard to help me do that."
Leeds play Valencia in a pre-season friendly at Elland Road tomorrow, harking back to their glory days of just three years ago when United faced the current reigning Spanish champions and UEFA Cup holders in a Champions League semi-final.
The fortunes of the two clubs since then could not be more marked, but Blackwell said: "We've hit hard times and bounced back, and I've no doubt we'll bounce back again."
