'See you later' - Leeds United now have 'best in class' and transfers reassurance: David Prutton - YEP 17/7/23

The appointment of Daniel Farke as Leeds United manager is a great shout, writes DAVID PRUTTON.

By David Prutton

He has got the two most important things which stick out on his CV of two promotions to the Premier League. So regardless of what he might have done off the back of moving away from Norwich, I think Leeds have got someone who is 'best' in class.

'Best in class' is an overused phrase but Leeds need promotion and availability and I think on that front Daniel was the best candidate for the job right now. Obviously the proof is in the pudding. He's got to then go and do it and make sure that he gets Leeds over the line and back into the Premier League. Time will tell.

But I absolutely think he can do it at the first time of asking. It would have been nice if he was in a bit earlier but that's the way it has gone. That's the way that Leeds have been operating to get this manager in and that means that Daniel has come in at this stage.

Now it's about Leeds keeping the players that they want and who want to stay and also about Daniel being able to marshal what he's got with who he has got and I think there is a very competitive squad there.

There might be a few question marks about players moving away on loan and how that kind of works from both a financial point of view and a playing point of view. But if they don't want to be there then see you later.

The only way that Leeds are going to get over that hurdle of getting back into the Premier League is by having a real togetherness that goes with a talented squad and I've got no doubt at all that it's a squad that can really compete in the Championship.

Bouncing back at the first time of asking will be very, very hard. Less than 30 percent of teams bounce back straight away so it will be by no means straightforward. Leeds will be there to be shot at.

But get used to it. They had 16 years of it and hopefully it will just be the one this time. There haven't been any signings yet but what are we comparing it to? If it's their strike rate of bringing players in then it hasn't been great. It's not been something that has blown everyone away.

Leeds have recruited an interim football advisor in Nick Hammond who has obviously got experience of a big football club so that stands them in good stead. And right now you have got a Leeds squad with quality in it that didn't perform in the Premier League.

Now is the time for them to go and perform in the Championship and make up for the awful show that was last season really. That's where they are at. It's always nice when you see people come flying in and out transfers-wise but there's only been a bit of movement. It's not been deal after deal after deal. I don't think anyone is getting left behind by any stretch of the imagination and there's still plenty of time.

Leeds also managed to get Daniel in before the players returned to the grass for pre-season training which I think is important. Maybe it's old fashioned but I think it's key to have that person in for day one, to have that clean slate of pre-season, that foot through the door and that fella there who is hopefully going to lead you to where you are going to go and is there for the duration.

It makes it a lot cleaner and a lot more straightforward. There will obviously be players coming and going and who is in charge of that and these are all other things that Leeds need to get right.

But I think it's a huge statement for a manager to be there on day one as you come back after the summer break because the majority of Leeds players that I have come across will have spent the last few weeks stewing on it, absolutely stewing, and rightly so because of what a disastrous season it turned out to be.

I'd like to think that they'd be chomping at the bit to get back to it and it's important that one of the first faces that they see through the door is the boss. He's the person that's going to be demanding of you from day one, because that's what the Championship is.

It's a demanding league and a demanding set of fixtures which just goes on and on and on over the horizon. To have that boss there with his staff who he needs and everything boxed off is important.

There is the other side of it, the off the field stuff and the recruitment. But Daniel is now there with the players who will know they are there to work because that's absolutely what it's going to be. It's going to take more than a shift from everyone involved to get them anywhere near the top of the division.

There are now just three weeks until the new Championship season starts and we can all see the fixtures written down on paper. I was asked about Leeds' fixtures on Sky, about the first six games, and God knows because if it's a good first six games then great.

If after six games you have got 18 points then mega. Then you are really setting the pace. But Leeds know too well that the Championship can throw up all kinds of obstacles. Cardiff and Birmingham are first up for Leeds and there has been lots of chat about both of those teams on and off the field.

But the proof is only in the footballing pudding. It's a good start if they win, regardless of who it is. Leeds United's number one priority should be promotion and if they've got any realistic aspirations of that then whoever comes up in front of them has to be put to bed.

Leeds made very, very hard work of the Premier League but now the difference in the quality of the teams they will be facing is there for all to see. This, though, is a different set of pressure because they are there to be got at, absolutely there to be got at.