Leeds United news: Ex-PL CEO drops exciting promotion claim
Everton’s former chief Keith Wyness has insisted he expects Leeds United to return to the Premier League through the playoffs this month.
Speaking on the new edition of Football Insider’s Inside Track podcast, the 66-year-old – who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009 and now runs a football consultancy advising elite clubs – backed the Whites to “bounce back” from automatic promotion disappointment and transform their poor recent form.
Leeds finished third in the Championship behind Leicester and Ipswich after winning just one of their last six second-tier games.
Daniel Farke’s side face Norwich in a two-legged semi-final for the chance to play Southampton or West Brom at Wembley on 26 May.
The Whites will be without striker Patrick Bamford for both games against the Canaries, with the 30-year-old still out with a knee injury he picked up last month.
Leeds United backed for promotion by ex-Premier League chief
Wyness claimed the experience of narrowly missing out on automatic promotion will benefit Leeds.
He told Football Insider‘s Insider Track podcast: “I think just missing out on automatics will just stiffen their resolve.
“When I look at the other clubs in the playoffs, I think Leeds have got the best chance of going up.
“Playoffs, having been through them myself, are extremely hard.
“But Leeds look like the team who can bounce back and have the quality to get through.
“I’m expecting Leeds to win at Wembley.”
In other news, Farke’s side forced to sell stars as “massive” financial issue emerges.
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