Leeds United legend Peter Lorimer believes it would have been unrealistic to hope that Steve Evans would turn the current crop of players at Elland Road into promotion contenders this season.

While Massimo Cellino has said that a decision on Evans’ future will only be taken at the end of the season, the Scot is again under pressure after his side’s humiliating 4-1 defeat at the hands of Huddersfield last weekend.




After a run of three wins in a row, the defeat in the Yorkshire derby came as a shock, but Lorimer feels Evans has done as well as he could with a limited Leeds United squad.

The Leeds legend believes no head coach could have made the current set of players play better and the Scot has done well to steer the club away from the relegation dogfight this season.
 


Lorimer wrote in his column for the Yorkshire Evening Post: “Put it this way – if anyone tried to tell me that this Leeds United squad could have made the playoffs, I’d tell them they’re mad.  

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“When Steve came in he inherited a very ordinary group of players who looked far more likely to get relegated than go up from the Championship. I’m sorry if that upsets anyone but it’s the truth.

“When the end of the season arrives, the club will be safe. We’re not mathematically there as yet but there’s virtually no chance of us getting sucked in at the bottom.

"In that respect Steve has done what was expected of him. He’s achieved what most coaches would have achieved with this squad by keeping us up. Asking for more than that was pretty unrealistic.

“Steve probably feels that he’s done a decent job and I wouldn’t deny that he has.

"I give him credit for the games we’ve won, just as he has to take criticism for some of our defeats, and in terms of the target he was set when he first arrived, he’s ticked the box.”

Leeds remain 13th in the league table on 47 points, and despite last weekend’s disappointment the club remain keen to finish in the top ten of the Championship this season.