The current state of flux at Leeds United makes it 'impossible' to try and second guess the start of their season despite the release of the Championship fixture list, according to former Whites midfielder David Prutton.
The Whites, who are without a manager and awaiting EFL confirmation of the 49ers Enterprises takeover as they look to retool their squad following relegation, were handed what looks to be - on paper at least - a relatively kind start to the season. It all kicks off with a home match against Cardiff City, which is followed by clashes against Birmingham City (A), West Bromwich Albion (H), Ipswich Town (A), Sheffield Wednesday (H) and Millwall (A).
An easier start will be a boon to whoever Leeds appoint as their new boss, with Patrick Vieira and Daniel Farke the bookies' favourite, but Prutton insists that there are too many questions to be answered before anyone can confidently predict how United will start the season.
"The thing in Leeds' case is that by the time we get to those first six games, who's going to be in charge?," Prutton said on Sky Sports News on Thursday morning. "Who's leading this team forwards? What does the make-up of the squad look like? Who's going to be brought in in this interim period in charge of the director of football?
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"To look at the list of games they've got and try and predict where they're going to be, I think is impossible. You don't know how it's going to look. You don't know what the vibe is going to be around Elland Road. I know Andrea Radrizzani moving on is a big thing for a lot of Leeds fans, however, the proof is in the pudding when it comes to new ones."
The 49ers Enterprises takeover is expected to be completed soon and Prutton believes that how they approach the transfer market will be key in winning over the Elland Road faithful.
"New owners embed themselves into the emotions of the fans by spending money. If they get the right players in, great. I think their strike record under Victor Orta was very much hit-and-miss. They had some very good players in. I think the vast majority of them came into Leeds and didn't perform at all. You hear mutterings and rumblings about players wanting to move on and stay in the Premier League. They made an absolute pigs ear out of the Premier League, so if the majority who stay behind who try and get them back up again, that might right the wrongs of last season."
Prutton also added that Leeds will have to get used to being the biggest draw in the league again and will have to respond accordingly.
"I just think that they get now back into the position that people look at them as one of the massive scalps in the Championship. Elland Road will be bouncing every single week when they're playing at home. Teams will be revelling in going there and playing. They've got to turn it back into what it was under Marcelo Bielsa which was a cauldron of energy, passion and work rate which is something they fell way, way, short on as they tumbled out of the Premier League."
