Lee Sharpe on Leeds United, Daniel Farke, Summerville, Portsmouth, Bradford City and Graham Alexander | OneFootball

Ex-Premier League player Sharpe spoke to FLW on his former EFL clubs

The 2024-25 EFL season is underway, and as you'd expect there has been plenty of drama already.

There has been a managerial departure at Preston North End, with Ryan Lowe walking away from the Lilywhites after nearly three years in charge and following a 2-0 opening weekend defeat against Sheffield United, whilst Sheffield Wednesday are top of the EFL pile thanks to a 4-0 win over Wayne Rooney's Plymouth Argyle.

One man who has a vested interest in multiple clubs is former Premier League winner Lee Sharpe, who plied his trade for the likes of Leeds United, Portsmouth and Bradford City after spending much of his career at Manchester United, and he has spoken to Football League World courtesy of Highest Payout Online Casino.

Daniel Farke the right man for Leeds United job despite opening day dropped points

One of Sharpe's former clubs Leeds didn't get off to a perfect start on Saturday afternoon as they shipped three goals to newly-promoted Portsmouth.

It ended in a 3-3 draw at Elland Road, with Brenden Aaronson's stoppage time equaliser rescuing a point for Daniel Farke's side, although he should've perhaps scored a winner moments later - not to mention Leeds hitting the woodwork three times in the opening stages of the game.

Despite leaking goals already though, Sharpe believes that there is no reason to worry from a Leeds standpoint, and that they simply came up against the worst kind of opposition to start the season.

Speaking exclusively to Football League World via Highest Payout Online Casino, Sharpe said: "I don’t think it’s any concern or panic at all.

"One of the worst things to get as a team is to get a newly-promoted team in your first couple of games, because they’re full of beans, full of running and it’s not really a true reflection of how the season is going to go.

"I think it was good that they came from behind in the game, so I think there’s a resilience there, the fact that they have scored three goals is positive enough, and I think they’ll just be glad to get that game out of the way.

"It’s not the team you want to play really in your first game - they’re all very over exuberant and over-keen, so get that out of the way and start again."

Daniel Farke will be under pressure to guide the Whites back to the Premier League at the second time of asking, and Sharpe believes the German is the right man to guide the West Yorkshire outfit to a return to the promised land.

"I think he is the right man," Sharpe said.

"I think when you look at the teams that did go up, Ipswich were a little bit of an outsider, but you look at Leicester and Southampton who only went down the season before with strong squads, probably a strong belief system after spending the season before in the Premier League, and I think missing out will strengthen everybody.

"The experience of it will strengthen the manager, the players, the resolve, and I expect another strong campaign from them this year."

Despite the financial blow from not winning the play-off final in May against Southampton, Leeds have only had to cash in on two of their stars from last season.

Teenage sensation Archie Gray headed to Tottenham for £40 million, helping Leeds hit a key PSR deadline, whilst Championship Player of the Season for 2023-24 Crysencio Summerville has joined the midfielder in London, signing for West Ham in a deal worth an initial £25 million.

Sharpe though thinks that the hierarchy at Elland Road could have gotten more money for the latter, saying: "I think Leeds could have possibly held out for a little bit more.

"I’m not sure how the negotiations went, but he’s been a top, top player in the Championship.

"I suppose, when he’s not played much Premier League football it could be a bit of a gamble to move, but his ability and quality are there for everyone to see.

"I think West Ham have probably got a decent deal, Leeds might have expected a little bit more, but it’s still a lot of money for Leeds to go and spend in the transfer window."

Sharpe is expecting Gray to fully flourish under the guidance of Ange Postecoglou in north London, but warns it may not be straight-forward to be a first-team starter straight away.

"I’ve only seen him play a few times but he looks very comfortable on the ball and a very astute footballer," Sharpe said on Gray.

"A clever footballing brain, and I think it’s probably a good time for him. He’ll get to play Premier League football with what I think is a top class manager, who will help him.

"I’m not sure he will be a regular, I think he’ll be in and out of the team a little bit, but when you’re playing with internationals and top Premier League players, it can only improve you as a player.

"I think it’s a great move for him, for Tottenham and a good fee that Leeds picked up as well, so everybody wins."

With Summerville gone and a move for Norwich City winger Jonathan Rowe not yet advanced, Wilfried Gnonto has been given the opportunity to stake a claim for the Dutchman's former left-wing starting spot, having had to settle for a place on the right-hand side of the attack last season under Farke.

At times, the Italian was second fiddle to Dan James, and with links to Everton seemingly dying down now, Gnonto could be primed to flourish and even better what Summerville did last season, according to Sharpe.

"When I watched him when he was in the Premier League, he set the world alight at times," Sharpe - who played 37 times for Leeds in his career - told FLW.

"I understand he’s a little inconsistent but I think that comes with age and probably being a winger.

"Sometimes you can get teams that double up on you and it makes things difficult when you’ve got two players against you for most of the game.

"But I think he uses his abilities, he’s got pace, he’s strong - he’s got every chance of having a great season. I think if the manager’s got a lot of faith in him, trusts him and plays him regularly, I think he’ll probably get the best out of him this season."

Lee Sharpe excited for Portsmouth's Championship chances

Another one of Sharpe's former clubs - albeit briefly - was Portsmouth, who he joined on loan in the 2000-01 season when the south coast outfit were in the second tier of English football.

And having seen Pompey take Leeds all the way on Saturday, Sharpe is enthused for the chances of John Mousinho's side in the season to come, believing that they have what it takes to stay in the Championship for a second season.

"It’s probably the toughest league to come in to," Sharpe said on Pompey's return to Championship football.

"It’s a brutal league, but I think they showed at Elland Road they’ve got guts and character.

"Elland Road is one of the hardest places to go for an away game, the fans are pretty brutal to play in-front of. To go there and to show the bottle they had, how well they played, scored three goals... think their only concern would be squad depth and the amount of games you have to play in the Championship and how tough every team you play is.

"You need a good, strong squad and if they get a few injuries to some key players, they could find themselves struggling. But on the first week’s performance, they’ve got a good chance of staying up.

Lee Sharpe backs Graham Alexander to take Bradford City to the next level

In 1999, Sharpe made the short trip to sign for Bradford on loan from Leeds when they were a First Division (second tier) club, helping them get over the line and to the Premier League for the very first time, subsequently signing a permanent deal.

Sharpe played 64 times for the Bantams before leaving in 2002, and they are now two divisions further down from the second tier that the winger left them in some 22 years ago.

City finished outside of the League Two play-off spots in 2023-24 in ninth position, but after toppling one of the promotion favourites in the form of MK Dons 2-1 on Saturday, Bradford are being backed to make it to League One once more in the near future - especially under current boss Graham Alexander.

"It’s a great start, and I think listening to Graham Alexander, who’s a top class manager, he’s filled his players with confidence," Sharpe said.

"He backed them and wouldn’t like anyone else in the dressing room apart from the players he’s got, which gives your players immense confidence to go out and perform.

"And I think if they go on a bit of a run, gain some momentum and start filling the stadium and make it a hostile place to go, they’ve got every chance of doing well this season.

"I think he is (the right man for the job), purely because of the experience he has in these situations.

"When you are looking for promotion and it gets a little bit tight towards the end of the season, you need a manager with experience to be able to keep the players calm and send a team out that’s going to win the game tactically.

"So, I think Graham is definitely the right man for the job."

One constant at Valley Parade for the last eight years has been chairman Stefan Rupp, but the German has had to face growing criticism in recent times for the club's failure to get out of League Two, where it has been stuck for over five years now.

Sharpe believes that now may not be the time for another person to come in to buy the club from Rupp, but if another struggle ensues in 2024-25, then next year may be the time for Rupp to hand the baton over to someone else.

"Difficult one to answer - I’m not sure if the chairman has put any money in this summer, but the manager seems certainly happy with his squad," said Sharpe.

"They’ve laid down a statement of intent by beating MK Dons in the first game of the season, so only time will tell.