Jamie O’Hara has sensationally taken a swipe at Leeds United fans for what he claims are unrealistic expectations of their team ahead of a long-awaited return to Premier League life.
Marcelo Bielsa’s side visit champions Liverpool this evening in what’ll be their first top-flight outing since way back in 2004.
Leeds cruised to the Championship title last season and, having broken their transfer record in signing Rodrigo, there is a feeling that Bielsa – a former Marseille, Athletic Bilbao and Argentina coach – could mastermind a successful first year back in the big time.
But O’Hara is having none of it, telling fans of the Elland Road club to ‘get back in your box’.
He said on talkSPORT [broadcast 11/09, 7pm]: “This is your first season back in the Premier League and I’m hearing people talking they are going to be top six. People are talking Champions League.
“Get back in your box Leeds United fans. You are going to struggle. It’s going to be a long, hard, tough season. This is not the Championship. This is the pinnacle of football, the Premier League.”
Is anyone talking about Leeds qualifying for the Champions League? Not really, nor are there many – if any – people tipping Bielsa’s side for a top-six finish this season.
Nevertheless, quite a few neutral fans agree with the talkSPORT pundit and here’s how they reacted to his comments on Friday night:
The truth is that if someone tips Leeds to have a decent first year back, there is substance.
Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola have long raved about their head coach and with the £30 million addition of Rodrigo, not to mention the presence of an England international in midfield, the Whites could find some success this term.
Does that mean a Champions League spot? No.
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