STEPHEN WARNOCK EXCLUSIVE
THERE will be no half-measures for Leeds United – their campaign will either explode into life or come crashing down.
That is the view of former Whites defender Stephen Warnock, who has saluted the ambition of owner Andrea Radrizzani and his board.
But he sees the “massive gamble” taken on big-time boss Marcelo Bielsa as either blowing up in their faces – or blowing away the rest of the Championship.
Bielsa’s recruitment has been the talk of the summer – not just in west Yorkshire – and made the second tier take a long overdue note of what is happening at Elland Road.
Warnock (below) has saluted the club for doing all it can to hire the former Chile boss, but has serious reservations about whether the man in question can deliver Premier League football.
He said: “Bringing in Marcelo Bielsa is a massive gamble. Leeds United have gone out of their way to get him – so well done to them for that.
“But if you look at his record, his last major triumph in club football was 25 years ago in Argentina.
“And what is his knowledge like of the players he has?
“Leeds are clearly having a go at it. But does, for instance, Patrick Bamford suit Bielsa’s style of play? Who is making the decisions on recruitment?
“How do we know that he will fit in with what the manager wants? None of that is clear.
“Now, it could all click – it did with Wolves last year. But there have been only seven foreign managers who have won promotion from the Championship – two of them were last season in Nuno Espirito Santo and Slavisa Jokanovic.
“And, if he loses the first five games, are they going to back him? To let him get on with it. Any manager needs time, but, increasingly, you don’t get it.”
However, Warnock, who is helping front Quest’s coverage of the EFL this season, thinks the South American will have one major factor going in his favour.
He added: “I’m not too sure many of the players will have heard of him before he got the job.
“But they will have learnt quickly that he has taught the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino. That will win him immediate respect in the dressing-room. He still has to adapt to this league – it’s very much up in the air. “But I genuinely can’t see Leeds United finishing mid-table.” The club has signed Barry Douglas from Wolves, with midfielder Lewis Baker and keeper Jamal Blackman on loan from Chelsea. Winger Jack Harrison has joined from Manchester City. Warnock added: “I’m pleased to see they have signed a few British lads, who will have an idea of what the rough and tumble of the Championship is like.
“That said, I don’t see a lot of experience in the ranks.
“It is a fantastic club, Leeds, but a difficult one to play for. It requires a certain type of character to step out into an arena like Elland Road.
“But one thing’s for sure – it’s going to be a roller-coaster ride.” ■■Leeds United haven’t hosted Stoke City at Elland Road since October 2006 when they lost 4-0 under caretaker manager John Carver. ■■Stoke are unbeaten in their last three league visits to Elland Road (W1 D2), keeping clean sheets in all three games. Their last defeat there was in January 1990, during the last season in which Leeds won promotion to the top flight. ■■For the eighth season in a row, Leeds have a different manager in charge for their first league match of the campaign. ■■Stoke City are winless on the opening day since beating Burnley in the Premier League in 2009/10, drawing three and losing five since then.