Leeds United 1992 title ace Gary McAllister believes the 49ers “know” they can guide the club to European football under their tutelage.
Paraag Marathe said earlier this month that Leeds are capable of playing “internationally” in the long-term, albeit the next two years are very much about stability in the Premier League.
United finished 14th and eight points above the relegation zone in their first season back in the top flight and the forthcoming campaigns will still be about staying up and progressing gradually.
“History shows that the second season in the Premier League can be just as, if not more, challenging as the first,” said Marathe in a letter to fans after the end of the season in May.
“We remain ambitious but measured and deliberate, understanding that it will take three long-fought seasons before we can truly operate like an established Premier League side.”
This summer will be about capturing signings who can push into the starting XI amid the aim to raise the ceiling of the squad, despite the new Squad Cost Ratio finance rules initially leaving the club with slightly tighter spending limits.
Leeds ended last season on 47 points but could have had more if not for the many late goals they conceded. “Arguably, I think that the stats and the data would tell you that we should have been higher up the table even than we were,” Marathe told reporters earlier this month.
He is optimistic for the future but is cautious not to be complacent, having been at the club in a different role when Leeds sunk back down to the Championship after three seasons.
Marathe wishes to take the middle ground of being “not too excited, not too jubilant thinking we’ve arrived and not too conservative thinking the world is ending, now we’re in another war. But somewhere in between.”
McAllister – who played nine European games for Leeds – believes the 49ers have the ability to take United into the European spots at some stage.
Speaking to BOYLE Sports, who offer the latest World Cup odds, McAllister said: “Watching the club recently get back up again has been great.
“Daniel Farke has done a great job. He’s actually made significant changes in the shape and the way they get the ball forward a wee bit quicker, which has suited them, and it suited Calvert-Lewin.”
McAllister added: “The owners, I feel, I think they know that they can take the club even further and look to try and get those European slots.”
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