Farke fails to meet great expectations
AS DEVASTATING as it is for Leeds’ play-off hoodoo to continue, this will not be the sliding doors moment it was when they last lost the Championship final in 2006.
Then, they had to wait another 14 years to return to the Premier League, under Marcelo Bielsa.
This time it will not take so long as Leeds’ owners, the 49ers Enterprises, have the ambition to match their cash.
They wanted it to happen this season, to allow them to start spending – and they have plans to redevelop Elland Road.
But will they let Daniel Farke rebuild for another promotion tilt, or will they go for someone else? They are known to be big fans of Graham Potter, below.
Leeds will find it hard to hang on to the Championship Player of the Year, Crysencio Summerville, who was substituted with 16 minutes left at Wembley, while loanees Joe Rodon and Connor Roberts will return to Tottenham and Burnley respectively.
Leeds’ 4-0 thumping of Norwich in the semi-final second leg masks their poor run-in.
After powering to the top in March, they won just two of their final eight games of the regular season to finish third.
Leeds returned to old habits at Wembley and their defending for Adam Armstrong’s goal was woeful.
Ethan Ampadu stepped up to give far too much space to the Saints striker, who picked his spot to beat Illan Meslier.
Armstrong has four goals in three games against Leeds this season but they clearly did not learn their lesson.
Leeds’ finishing was also found wanting as their starting front four of Summerville, Joel Piroe, Georginio Rutter and Willy Gnonto failed to trouble Alex McCarthy, although substitute Dan James did crack the crossbar late on.
Several Leeds players fell to the ground when the final whistle blew and Mateo Joseph punched the turf in frustration.
It was another hard-luck story for Leeds.They have had too many of those.