'Promotion or bust' — Leeds United given Daniel Farke ultimatum as Championship promotion 'worry' outlined — YEP 30/1/25
By Kyle Newbould
Leeds United are well-placed to challenge for Championship
promotion again following last year’s play-off final heartbreak.
Danny Mills would worry if Leeds United fell into the
play-offs again from such a position of strength, with promotion the only
successful outcome for Daniel Farke.
Leeds look set to play their part in another thrilling
four-team promotion race, with Monday’s 0-0 draw at third-placed Burnley
keeping the gap at three points. Sheffield United sit between the pair in
second while Sunderland are not far behind. All four are tracking towards
90-point campaigns once again.
Farke’s side hit 90 points last season but that was only
good enough for third, with a poor run-in seeing the hard work that got them
top in March quickly disappear before the all-too-familiar misery of play-off
failure. Leeds are in a better place this time, compared to 12 months ago, but
there is still a long way to go and Mills cannot foresee a third year for the
German if that sinking summer feeling returns.
“Yeah, it is promotion or bust for Farke,” the former Whites
defender told 10bet. “The expectation is absolutely huge. They came so close
last year, and they buckled under the pressure. They couldn't get over the line
last season, dipped into the play-offs.
“We all know that the play-offs are notoriously difficult,
especially when you've been up there. The disappointment of not getting that
automatic spot is very, very hard. I would worry again if Leeds drop into the
play-offs late.”
Fortunately for Leeds, there is little recent evidence to
suggest they will fall short. Farke’s side haven’t lost since November and look
to be getting stronger, with Ethan Ampadu’s influence growing following his
return from a long-term injury. Ilia Gruev also came back to win a first start
since October while Pascal Struijk is close to a return.
Farke will not even look at the table until gameweek 40 but
at some point - it will likely have started already - those above the German
will start to plan for a summer in which they are building for Premier League
football. Recruitment chiefs will already be assessing potential summer targets
if promotion is achieved, while also having contingencies in place in the event
of another failure.
49ers Enterprises have regularly detailed much wider
ambitions than promotion, with a return to the Premier League hoped to be
merely the start of continued growth, rather than an end-point. And Mills
expects Farke to be financially backed over the summer if he fulfils his end of
the bargain come May.
“Leeds would be a great addition to the Premier League,”
Mills added. “They're one of the teams that could probably compete, make that
step up financially because of the backing that they've got. When you look at
other teams, the gap between the Championship and the Premier League is growing
all the time.
“Leeds could be one of those teams that were able to bridge
that gap, but they've got to earn it. Sheffield United, Burnley, maybe even
Sunderland are going to have a big say in that and so we have to wait and see,
but the expectation from Leeds fans, and I think the club, is that they get
back in the Premier League.”