Are Leeds in danger of being left behind by their rivals?

After beginning this season with a poor 3-1 away defeat to newly-promoted Southampton, Leeds United fans are already calling for the removal of Ken Bates as chairman. After last year’s missed opportunity with a weaker Championship than it currently is, are Leeds now going to struggle to keep up with their rivals in the ultra-competitive division?

Saturday was a worryingly poor performance by Leeds, both in attack and defence, but looking at the side it is easy to see why. The players brought in are cheap alternatives and are nowhere near the quality that has departed. They have only spent £150,000 so far while selling Kasper Schmeichel, who was in the last year of his contract, to big spending Leicester City. It wouldn’t be that surprising to see a Premier League club come in for either Gradel or Snodgrass before the window shuts at the end of August.

The only regeneration work at Elland Road over the summer has been focused on updating the executive suite in the East Stand rather than any real movement to strengthen the side despite the departures of main players over the summer.Recent progress on and off the field seems to have stalled and the protests that were widespread before the recent success have returned. Having coming within a few points of a play off place last season Leeds fans will have expected new investment into the side which will have ensured another season of progress. However this has failed to materialise. Instead the club have lost out to players due to not being able to meet wage demands due to Bates’s strict wage cap which may be productive in the long term but is preventing the club from bringing in the quality it needs for the season ahead. Profits have been made but instead of investing in the club, money has been spent on the stadium.

In comparison to Leicester City who have signed as many players as they see fit due to their owners relaxed transfer policy, Leeds have already been left behind. In such a competitive division this could cause problems for the club.

There has been some blame put onto manager Simon Grayson despite the last two successful seasons he has had at the club but what can he do when he has to rely on free signings and loan signings? The chairman seemingly won’t provide the funds he need to bring in the talent he requires.

So is the only way to help the club move on is to remove the cause of the problem? After six and half years in charge what has Bates really achieved for the club??

A protest has been organised at their next game against Middlesbrough on Saturday but if this has little success I think it could be a long season for the Elland Road faithful.

Let me know your thoughts on Leeds’s current situation and follow me on twitter @aidanmccartney for more Football League discussion.

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