00:00With Leeds United's Premier League fixtures having been announced and the club within the midst of preparations for the upcoming new season, which gets underway in mid-August,
00:10just what are the feelings at Elland Road and in the surrounding areas in Leeds as a city in terms of preparing and approaching what is a new league for the club?
00:19Of course, they were in the Premier League just a couple of years ago.
00:23They spent some time there, but of course then dropped down eventually in the relegation zone and then had two years in the Championship.
00:30And so now they're back. New manager, Daniel Farker, of course.
00:34He's had previous Premier League experience with Norwich City, although been relegated with them as well.
00:38So there are doubts over what he can do, even though Leeds United have publicly backed him as their head coach.
00:45But certainly it's perhaps not quite a season of unknowns to come for Leeds United,
00:50but certainly it's a lot of things to think about and a lot of things that will be different at Leeds United in the upcoming season.
00:58Of course, the start to the season is all right, at least their first game.
01:03Everton at home, winnable, although Everton would probably see that the same way as well.
01:08And then you've got Arsenal, difficult. And Newcastle, difficult as well.
01:11Certainly two teams who have had recent really good years in the Premier League as well,
01:17both qualifying for the Champions League in the last season.
01:20So it's a hard one for Leeds because, of course, they'll have to bring in new signings.
01:25They have brought in two new faces already in Lucas Nemecha and Yaka Biol.
01:29But I'm guessing more will be needed to make sure that Leeds are indeed competitive ahead of the new season getting underway.
01:36More will definitely have to come through the door at Elland Road.
01:38But just what are the thoughts and feelings at Leeds United going into the new campaign with that start of the season now confirmed?
01:45Of course, with the need for signings still to come, there's a lot to think about and a lot to examine at Leeds.
01:50But let's go now to Lee Sobert of the Yorkshire Evening Post to get his thoughts on the matter in terms of Leeds' start to the season
01:59and what he's expecting from the first few games and just what he thinks the feeling is at the club at the moment
02:05now that those fixtures have been released and people are getting to grips with the fact that Leeds United, once again,
02:10are a Premier League club and the fact that they need to adapt to being in England's top flight
02:15and ultimately give it the best shot possible with the players they currently have
02:19and the players that they'll, of course, bring in as well, of course, excluding the players they've already brought in as well.
02:25So, Lee, what are your thoughts and just how are Leeds going to shape up and approach this upcoming season in England's top flight?
02:34Yeah, definitely. It's something now to really aim for, isn't it?
02:37You know, still eight weeks or something like that to go until the start of the season.
02:40So we're a long way off yet.
02:42But yeah, it's good to have something to aim for, for it to be there in black and white.
02:46You know, bit by bit, we've been getting there now, obviously, you know, the table reset and such
02:50and obviously Leeds about mid-table and people were saying, you know, we'll take that now, you know,
02:54as they're in alphabetical order sort of thing because this season is, you know, it is, let's be honest about it,
02:59it's all about staying up and even 17th would be an achievement because we know how difficult it is to stay up.
03:05The fact of the matter is the last six teams who have gone up have all come straight back down.
03:09So it's there in black and white how difficult the task will be.
03:12But you would think of all the teams that have gone up recently, Leeds would be, you know, very well placed.
03:16In terms of if the team's going to break that mould, then hopefully it will be them.
03:19And, you know, we have got some fixtures to aim for now.
03:21And I think the first thing you ask for is, you know, ideally you want a home game to start with.
03:27And obviously they've got that.
03:29And, you know, no game's going to be easy.
03:32And, you know, Everton at home is definitely, definitely not an easy game.
03:35Obviously, David Moyes has done fantastically well since he's gone in there.
03:38They've made him, you know, difficult to beat.
03:40Rose up the table a bit from the finish 13th, didn't they?
03:43So no mugs, absolutely not.
03:45But, you know, you could have got a Liverpool away, couldn't you?
03:47Or something like that to start off with.
03:49Or, you know, a City away or an Arsenal away or something like that.
03:52Although, obviously, Arsenal away is the second game of the season.
03:55But I would say, you know, there's no disrespect to Everton.
03:57You know, a winnable first game of the season, really.
04:00Although the thing is, is that there's no doubt about it.
04:02Everton will look at it the same way.
04:04You know, they'll think we're going to a newly promoted side who are, like, trying to find their feet in the division.
04:07And they will also see it as a winnable game.
04:09So it's a fantastic first game of the season to have.
04:11Obviously, you know, typically for Leeds United, it has to be on Sky.
04:14And it is on Sky.
04:15Monday night football, so there will be lots to go.
04:17But, yeah, I mean, you get to the stage, don't you, in the summer when, obviously, promotion is sealed and whatever.
04:21And, obviously, the season finished a lot earlier this time than last time.
04:25Because we didn't have the playoffs to worry about, thankfully.
04:27But I think everyone's been itching for news or just something to happen, you know.
04:30And fixtures, you know, everybody was looking forward to them when they came out.
04:33So, you know, you can start looking through the calendar and making a few plans.
04:36Although, as ever, they're all subject to change with TV rights and stuff.
04:39But, yeah, it's there in black and white now in Leeds, Everton.
