Leeds United head coach Daniel Farke has called on his players to keep their emotions in check as the Championship run-in heats up, with just nine games remaining.
Farke, who took over Leeds last summer, had a turbulent start to life at Elland Road, winning just two of his first seven league games. However, since then, the Whites have become a force to be reckoned with and are unbeaten in the league in 2024.
This success is largely down to having the best defence in the division, conceding just 28 goals in their 37 games thus far. Such a strong defensive showing has Leeds in second place and in a prime position to return to the Premier League at the first time of asking.
The Leeds United faithful have taken well to a number of Farke signings such as Joe Rodon, Ethan Ampadu and Joel Piroe as well as several other key members of the squad who had been part of previous successes. Farke though, was keen to emphasise how much pressure comes with wearing the all-white strip and how his players must deal with that for their nine remaining matches [quotes via The Yorkshire Post]:
“Once you sign a contract for Leeds United you have to know this club is very emotional, the fanbase is so huge and the expectations are huge. With our tradition and our fanbase, everyone has the attitude that they are ‘up’ against us.
“Once you sign a contract as a player or staff member with us you have to take on a responsibility that is even a bit than perhaps, with all respect, for some other clubs. You need to enjoy this challenge otherwise my recommendation would be don’t sign a contract for Leeds United.
“You have to handle emotion and that people can perhaps be a bit over the line in both ways. It’s important once you sign a contract for this club that you’re fully aware of what you’re doing.”
An honest assessment of the promising, yet still precarious position of his team from the former Norwich City and Borussia Monchengladbach manager who understands what it takes to get out of this division having done it twice with the Canaries. They will hope to stay in the top two when they host relegation-threatened Millwall on Saturday.
Writer’s View
Daniel Farke has won the hearts of the Leeds United fans, something that, as many former managers could tell you, is certainly not an easy thing to do. The supporters had been treated to a manager who they adored in Marcelo Bielsa and since his dismissal in February 2022, they have lacked that connection to their head coach.
Farke doesn’t perhaps have that messiah-type adornment from Elland Road just yet but the German is a quality operator in the Championship given the right tools and if he can take them back to the Premier League in his first season, he’ll be well on his way. These quotes are the 47-year-old just sending out a warning that with nine games to go, there is a lot of football still to be played in a run-in that will ebb and flow a number of times yet.
