Leeds United player Sam Byram has revealed that this pre-season has been one of the toughest he’s experienced in a while. He encouraged the team to use the disappointment from last season as motivation to achieve promotion this year.
Last season, Leeds narrowly missed out on returning to the Premier League, losing to Southampton in the play-off final. Byram noted that coach Daniel Farke has been pushing the team hard to ensure they do better this time.
“We have to forget what happened,” Byram told Leeds Live on July 20. “We can’t dwell on the past, but we need to keep the hunger and the feeling we had after the final, and use it as fuel. We’ve worked incredibly hard over the last three weeks, probably the hardest pre-season I’ve had in a while.
“I’ve worked with this manager for several seasons, and we’ve really put in the effort. Building base fitness is crucial now because once the games start, there’s little time to improve fitness.
“Everyone has committed to pre-season, we’re in great shape, and heading to Germany, there’s a lot of excitement.”
Leeds United must aim for Premier League promotion this season
The 2023/24 season was challenging for Leeds’ players and fans. After a couple of seasons in the Premier League, they had to compete in the second tier.
The team performed admirably, earning 90 points over the season. However, failing to secure promotion has likely been a reality check, especially if they don’t succeed this term.
The departure of Archie Gray marked a significant moment for Leeds fans, as the club needed a major sale. While many expected someone like Crysencio Summerville to leave, it was their academy graduate who was sold.
If Leeds had achieved promotion, Gray would likely still be part of the squad, playing a central role in their plans.
If Daniel Farke doesn’t secure promotion this season, the club could face serious difficulties next year.
In other news, Leeds may consider signing Oliver Skipp following Glen Kamara’s departure.
