Good Morning. It's Tuesday 19th May, and here are the latest headlines from Elland Road...
Championship football to return 20th June
The EFL are pushing forward with plans for the 2019/20 Championship season to recommence. It has been over ten weeks since Leeds beat Huddersfield Town at Elland Road due to the coronavirus epidemic, but finally the EFL are putting plans in place to test to test all players in the Championship this week, and a return to training next Monday.
Clubs have put forward a TV schedule for Tuesday and Wednesday games to kick-off at 6pm and 8pm. Weekend fixtures will go from early afternoon through to the evening with start times at 1pm, 3pm and 5pm. Although perhaps a little premature, the EFL are suggesting the 20th June to get games underway!
Al-Khelaifi named as the most influential person in football
Qatar Sports Investments Chairman Nasser Al-Khelaifi has been named as the most influential person in football topping a list of 50 of the Worlds most high profile Soccer figures, drawn up by the Ballon d’Or organizers. While takeover talks at Elland Road have gone quiet over recent times with football suspended due to the health crisis, the PSG chief is hopeful that the £120 million deal will be finalized before the beginning of next season. This makes sense, a lot rides on whether Leeds will be in the Premier League next season, and until the season is concluded, there is little point discussing the finer parts of a takeover bid.
Whelan slams Championship five
Further to the Daily Mails report that three of the five Championship Clubs wanting the abandon the 2019/20 season are located in Yorkshire; ex Leeds striker Noel Whelan has been speaking to journalists to have his say. Unsurprisingly, four of the division’s relegation-threatened sides are Yorkshire based. Little love has been lost between the Yorkshire clubs over the years with many people speculating that the antagonist four would lose little sleep by scuppering the Whites promotion chances. Whelan was asked if vested interests were behind the sides objections to the season restarting:
Chairmen, people affiliated with clubs, they have got their own intentions. Everyone has a vested interest in their own clubs but it is up to the majority. It is going to be about outweighing the ones that are grumbling. They are only grumbling for their own interests.
They should be dealing with their own clubs. If Huddersfield are down there battling, it is because they have not been good enough. Leeds are up there because they have been consistent throughout the season. Very rarely have Leeds been outside the top-two. It shows how strong they have been. Let them grumble, they are a minority.