The 2024/25 season is almost over, with just the play-off final to decide who joins Leeds United and Burnley in the Premier League.
Naturally, because of how impressive the top four have been, a number of players in the Championship’s official Team of the Season were named from those clubs, including three Leeds United players.
Shockingly, the likes of Junior Firpo were omitted from the Team of the Season for Harrison Burrows, but others simply could not be overlooked, including Ao Tanaka’s nailed-on Team of the Season position.
Our player ratings for the Championship season highlight the sheer volume of players who could have been included but unofficial teams are being revealed all the time now, too.
The four Leeds United players in David Prutton’s Championship Team of the Season
Simeon Gholam spoke to David Prutton on Sky Sports’ Essential EFL podcast to outline their team, including four Leeds picks.
Gholam said: “Let’s move on to our right-back; two standout names, two standout teams in the league — Leeds United’s Jayden Bogle and Sunderland’s Trai Hume. But we’ve edged for the Leeds man, haven’t we?”
Prutton responded: “Yeah, two very, very good full-backs that have been a part of what Leeds have been about this season — getting forward, creating opportunities, and getting on the scoresheet.
“And, also, fundamentally they’ve been at the top for all of the season and defended pretty well. Jayden’s been a part of that. He’s extremely good in that particular position. Historically, good Leeds teams have had very good full-backs.”
Gholam added: “The last two times we’ve done this, we’ve picked Harrison Burrows. But the Dominican man of mystery has gone ahead of him. He’s very much our left-back of the season, it’s Junior Firpo of Leeds United.”
“I think, yeah, a cynic would say he should be, given the experience that he’s got. The big question mark regarding Junior Firpo is regarding what he can do in the Premier League.
“At Championship level, the goals and assists, he manages to find himself in ridiculous positions. But Junior has been an absolute delight for Leeds United. The question being what does the top tier make for him?”
Gholam then discussed midfielders, with Leeds’ Japanese maestro making the team. He said: “It gets a bit more difficult after this but there is one man who is absolutely, undoubtedly, 100% nailed on for this team.
“He arrived in inconspicuous circumstances in the summer. He took a while to work his way in but since then, Ao Tanaka has been absolutely unbelievable for Leeds United. He’s the standout central midfielder in the league this season.”
Prutton added: “Well, the original debate was who fills the gap when [Ethan] Ampadu and [Ilia] Gruev came out the Leeds side and Tanaka and Joe Rothwell answered that pretty emphatically. Tanaka, I think, as you say, has been one of the real surprises of the season.
“Kudos to the recruitment to get him in the side. He’s shown that he’s not only skilful and tidy on the ball but he’s tremendously robust with the number of games and minutes under his belt. I think, in that particular position, he’s really thrived and worked really well under the pressure for Leeds — and he deserves to be in the side.”
Gholam said: “Our right winger now; we’ve been toying for choices our way through with this. But in terms of the right-hand side, there’s only one man to pick. Arguably, the standout player in the league this season, it’s Leeds United’s Daniel James.”
Prutton had plenty to say, stating: “Yes, weird, isn’t it? Because he’s one of those players that is seemingly very young, but he’s been about for ages? So he’s not? He looks very young and slender when you stand next to him.
“But his ability to affect a game, the fact that he’s been as good with his left foot as he has been with his right this season shows an evolution to his game, and that final ball I think.
“It’s slightly churlish to suggest it’s been lacking in the past when he’s played for Manchester United — but the great thing for Leeds fans would be the consistency that he’s brought to his game.
“He seems to turn up in big moments and he’s capable of the spectacular. And I love any player that is that ridiculously quick.”
Jobi McAnuff has explained Joel Piroe should be in the Team of the Season, while Daniel Farke’s Team of the Season view is that Manor Solomon ought to have been included in the official team from last month.
Prutton’s Championship Team of the Season is without Joe Rodon
Such was the quality of Leeds’ campaign as a collective and via individuals, Leeds could have the likes of Joe Rodon, Manor Solomon, and Joel Piroe all in a team of this nature.
Piroe, Rodon, and Pascal Struijk were all mentioned during the podcast’s discussion, with Josh Sargent and the Burnley duo making it in over those players.
Rodon is perhaps the most egregious of the snubs, with the giant central defender missing just five league minutes all season and dominating at the back for Leeds. Joe Rodon ‘gets it’ at Leeds and wears his heart on his sleeve whenever he plays.
Despite Burnley’s clean sheets record, Leeds had better underlying numbers and the xGA (expected goals against) data points to Rodon being a vital cog in an excellent defensive unit with two attacking full-backs.
The latter makes it harder to defend transitions but Rodon, Ethan Ampadu, Struijk and co. managed to deal with plenty of situations like that. The 27-year-old was commanding and imperious for much of the season.
