Andy Ritchie is of the opinion that new Leeds United boss Garry Monk is doing better than he would have thought, with the former Whites forward backing the club to sneak into the Championship playoff spots.
The Yorkshire giants, who appointed Monk in the summer, are currently 15th in the Championship table with 17 points from 13 games, just four points behind the sixth and final playoff spot.
Newcastle United and Norwich City occupy the first two spots in the table and Ritchie thinks the freshly relegated teams are favourites to earn instant promotion back to the Premier League.
Ritchie also feels Aston Villa, who were relegated from the Premier League last season, will be in contention for promotion under new boss Steve Bruce.
And the 55-year-old, who believes Monk is exceeding his own expectations at Elland Road presently, backed Leeds to reach the playoffs if they show a bit of consistency.
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“I see both Norwich and Newcastle United going up”, he wrote in his column in the Yorkshire Evening Post.
“Norwich are flying and Newcastle won 2-0 on Tuesday but it could have been 4-0 or 5-0. I see those two being there at the end and then you have got Villa with Steve Bruce going in there.
“He’s got his first victory now so I wouldn’t write them off just yet. They have had a bit of a rubbish start but I think they will be there or thereabouts and then I think Garry is probably doing better than he thought at Leeds at the minute.
“They are ahead of schedule probably and I think they can sneak into the playoffs definitely. From what I have seen, they have got the players it’s just getting that consistency.”
Leeds United finished the 2015/16 campaign in 13th spot with 59 points from 46 games.
