Kieran Maguire shares Leeds United 'big six' verdict after Premier League success — MOT Leeds News 12/2/24

By James Murray

Kieran Maguire believes Leeds United were “too good too early” as they missed on being part of the “big six” clubs in the Premier League.

Asked why the Whites and Blackburn Rovers aren’t in that bracket of teams on The Price of Football podcast on Monday (12 February, 28:55), the football finance expert said Tottenham caught the crest of the wave when the Premier League TV deal went up by nearly 200 per cent, suggesting that it could have been the Elland Road club if that development happened a decade earlier.

He admitted that Leeds were involved in the initial growth point of the Premier League, adding that it’s about being in the right place at the right time, with the league’s income increasing by 2,600 per cent since its inception back in 1992.

“They (Tottenham) started to be successful on the pitch, they started to creep into the Premier League on the back of making a couple of decent signings,” said Maguire. “Harry Kane came through, Gareth Bale proved to be a fantastic piece of business and that coincided with the Premier League TV deals over the course of six or seven years going up in value by nearly 200 per cent.

“They caught the crest of that particular wave in terms of if you did finish fourth or fifth, especially if you look at the money that was coming in from the Champions League at that moment in time, that catapulted them into becoming more competitive.

“If that had happened 10 or 12 years earlier, I wouldn’t say Leeds United were everybody’s second team, but they were a team that were great to watch. We can remember the Yeboah years and some of the other players they had, they were an exciting team to watch in terms of football.

“Of course, they won the league themselves, but they were at that initial growth point of the Premier League as opposed to the level of revenues that we have today. The income of the Premier League has increased by 2,600 per cent and a lot of that came in during the first half of that second half existence of the Premier League in terms of growth.

“Leeds were too good too early in many respects. Just like many things in life, it’s sliding doors moments, it’s right place, right time.”

Bad timing for Leeds United in the Premier League

It was bad timing for Leeds that their success in the Premier League came when the money on offer was a snip of where the finances are at now.

If that kind of cash was readily available to clubs back then, there is every reason to suggest the Whites would have continued being a force in the top flight for years to come.

But mismanagement at the top led to some poor decisions being made, landing the club in a financial mess and being relegated as far down as League One.

Leeds are pushing to get back in the Premier League

As was seen during their most recent spell in the Premier League, it’s extremely difficult to cement a place back in the top flight before potentially putting yourself in a position to start challenging for European football on a regular basis again.

The West Yorkshire club fell victim to some poor decisions by the previous ownership once again in the last couple of years, but they’ll be hoping to stick around in the top flight next time they gain promotion.

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