Pressure Grows On Leeds Manager Simon Grayson To Deliver Promotion
by Paul Smith / 09 August 2011, 09:32TweetMuch is expected of Leeds United this season and with expectation comes a whole lot of pressure, which won't please manager Simon Grayson. Pre-season results were positive and hopes were thus high among the Leeds contingent ahead of the 2011/12 season. However, Leeds were lacklustre in their opening 3-1 defeat to Southampton last Saturday, which in turn has thrown question marks over their promotion credentials and concerns over whether Grayson is the right man to take the club forward. As a result the 41-year-old has had his odds cut to just 7/1 in the Next Championship Manager to be Sacked Betting.
After just missing out on a play-off place last season Leeds fans expect their club to be pushing for a top six spot this time around. Leeds have been out of the top flight since their surprise relegation at the end of the 2003/04 season. The club then sunk down to League One a few years later in 2007, something that would have been unimaginable at the start of the decade. Since 2008 they have been experiencing a mini-revival under manager Grayson and returned to the Championship in 2010. Grayson has been largely credited for getting Leeds out of League One and for establishing them in the Championship. He must now prove he can handle the pressure and spur his side onto greater things.
Leeds supporters will be expecting a positive response tonight in their local derby against Bradford in the Carling Cup. The match is live on Sky Sports 2 at 7.45pm and the bookmakers Bet365 have Leeds as the odds on 1/2 favourites, with Bradford priced at 11/2 and a draw at 16/5. For Bradford, who also lost last weekend, the match provides a great opportunity for the club to bounce back and they would love nothing more then to inflict some more misery on their West Yorkshire rivals. All the pressure is on Leeds as they are two divisions above their opponents and have not lost to them in their last 13 meetings. However, a defeat this evening will certainly knock the club's confidence and may set the tone for the season ahead.
Following their opening day defeat to Southampton Leeds have had their odds lengthened to 28/1 to win the Championship and 7/1 to get promoted.
