Leeds United’s promotion push is temporarily on hold, and The Athletic’s Phil Hay has provided an update into the latest goings-on at their training camp, Thorp Arch.
What’s he said?
The west Yorkshire outfit are sat top of the Championship table with only nine games remaining, but all football activity has been suspended until next month at the earliest.
It potentially comes as a considerable blow to Marcelo Bielsa and his team considering they were in a rampant vein of form, winning five successive matches without conceding.
Leeds hold a seven-point cushion to the playoff positions so it can be argued they are not only in a strong spot but are also favourites for promotion – should the season resume.
Speaking in his recent column, Hay has revealed that the first-team and U23 squad will continue to train whilst the U18s will be sent home for the foreseeable future. He said:
Growing concerns
Elland Road has been without top-flight English football for over 16 years, so it would be ever-so typical if the season were to be pulled due to the ongoing pandemic sweeping the globe.
But health and wellbeing should, of course, be the main factor in any decision for the immediate future.
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The fact that no member of the squad has contracted the disease is a positive sign as it also means the squad are able to continue to train, thus keeping up fitness levels, hinting that they’d be ready to go whenever – and if – the current campaign resumes.
If players are off for a prolonged period of time, then it would seriously affect their match stamina, which is something that Leeds certainly don’t want to happen with them on the verge of achieving something special.
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It also remains to be seen how the EFL will look to deal with the possibility of the season not being finished and the implications it’ll have on the division the Whites will be competing in next year.
And in other news, Leeds can smooth start to PL life with lower league addition…