With the first international break now behind us, the EFL Championship returns, bringing back a sense of normalcy. We had the opportunity to sit down with former Leeds loanee and Stoke City winger Jermaine Pennant, who shared his insights on two former Premier League clubs currently competing in the Championship, despite their top-flight pedigree.
In this article:
- Leeds’ Favourable Position Strengthened by Solomon’s Arrival
- Promotion Is Inevitable for Leeds – Be It Automatic or Through the Playoffs
- Stoke City’s Decline: A Rebranding Misstep
- Stoke City: Now Stuck in “No Man’s Land”
Pennant gave his view on Leeds’ ambitions and chances of securing promotion to the Premier League, especially after bringing in Manor Solomon on loan from Tottenham. Pennant also spoke about Stoke City’s dwindling fortunes ever since they dropped down to the Championship in 2018, stating that they’re in the dreaded ‘no-man’s land’ at the moment.
Leeds’ Favourable Position Strengthened by Solomon’s Arrival
One of the most surprising moves on summer deadline day saw Tottenham Hotspur winger Manor Solomon join Leeds United on loan after Crysencio Summerville’s £25 million transfer to West Ham United. On his Leeds debut, Solomon provided an assist against Hull City before the international break, a performance that bodes well for his contribution for the remainder of the season.
Pennant is mindful of the challenges posed by the Championship but remains confident that Solomon has what it takes to make a significant impact at Leeds:
“He’s got Premier League experience, so he should do well. He’s an exciting player. But the Championship is no easy task. We’ve seen it over the years when teams drop down how difficult it is to come back up.
“It’s a relentless league. But Leeds were in the playoffs last year in the final, and then narrowly missed out. So, I think they will want to go one step better and go up. They started the season as favourites to get promotion.”
Promotion Is Inevitable for Leeds – Be It Automatic or Through the Playoffs
The Championship is known for being one of the most thrilling leagues in the world, characterised by its unpredictability, which makes it difficult to escape—whether you’re a relegated Premier League side or an established club in the league. Pennant believes Leeds are well-positioned for promotion:
“But there’s some big teams down there with them who dropped out from the Premier League last year. They’ll be definitely fighting in the playoffs, if not for automatic promotion. So, I’m sure by the end of the season, we’re gonna see Leeds either one way or another looking to get back in the Premier League. Whether it’s, like I said, through automatic or through the playoffs. But also, it’s so interesting when the clubs come down from the Premier League, and we see them struggle to make their way back up straight away.”
Stoke City’s Decline: A Rebranding Misstep
Pennant, who also played for Stoke City during their time in the Premier League, joining on a permanent deal from Real Zaragoza after an initial loan spell, spoke about the decline of the Potters. He feels the downfall began when the club attempted to move away from Tony Pulis’ style of play—often criticised but effective.
“It all started from when they were in the Premier League. They got rid of Tony Pulis, who had a style of play most people didn’t enjoy. Probably most fans didn’t enjoy it at a certain point. But it worked. It kept us in the Premier League year after year after year. They wanted to go a different direction. They tried to play a bit prettier, and it didn’t work. And then I think since then, they’ve just gone down the wrong path on that slippery slope.”
Stoke City: Now Stuck in “No Man’s Land”
Having slipped down to the Championship, Pennant believes Stoke City is now in “no man’s land,” struggling to return to the top tier.
“And then once you go down there, it’s difficult to find your way back. Then it went in the Championship, got relegated, went in the Championship. You know, a lot of key players then obviously wanna play in the Premier League, so they leave. Then, ultimately, it’s a rebuilding scheme from, literally, from scratch. You’re getting young blood through, and then you just find yourself in no man’s land. That’s just literally where they are now, no man’s land.”
He adds: “Now they literally just have to rebuild and get the best players in to do a job in the Championship and then invest when they get in the Premier League. But saying that, we’ve seen over the years how many times teams go into the Championship, and then their key players all get shipped off, and then this club bounces back.”
