It was a throwaway comment from a senior star on the Costa Blanca last December that told you all was not well at Leeds United.
‘Relegation will be fun this year,’ the player quipped after a day’s training in Spain during the World Cup break.
At that time, Leeds were 15th in the Premier League and on something of a high. A shock win at Liverpool, followed by a comeback victory over Bournemouth, had eased the pressure on Jesse Marsch ahead of the top flight’s month-long hiatus.
Marsch, in turn, was in a relaxed mood on that warm-weather camp, spending long afternoons playing padel with his staff.