Elland Road’s home dugout, Thorp Arch, the city of Leeds and its surroundings are all new to Daniel Farke, but he’s been here before and that’s the key. Leeds United haven’t felt the painful stabs of a relegation summer since 2007 and the malaise which has hung over the club in recent months can be hard to lift.
Thankfully, their new German manager knows exactly what is required in these circumstances. Farke knows what Premier League relegation does to clubs, the pain it causes, the stalling of the engine, but also what it takes to not only reignite the fire, but fuel it to a Championship title.
Farke’s first crown with Norwich City may not have come directly after a relegation, but the second did. After tasting the top-flight drop in 2020, the then Carrow Road chief oversaw an immediate slingshot back into the big time 12 months later.
“Well in general, each and every season, each and every game helps you in order to be prepared for a huge task,” he said. “I know the Championship inside out.
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“I've spent nearly five years here in English football, the last year on Bundesliga level, but I know, more or less, the Championship still really. I know exactly what is necessary in order to be successful.
“I've worked on Bundesliga level and I can judge the Premier League is the best league in the world, but the Championship is by far the toughest league. All these competitors, nearly each and every team wants to be there and fight for the promotion ranks, for the play-off ranks.
“So many games. You have to deliver every three days, two cup competitions in addition, so it's a marathon and especially after relegation.
“It's also good to have this experience with Norwich [of] what happens after relegation because [in a] difficult year you get used to losing football games. You have to change his attitude.
“Winning has to become a habit, more or less, again and to create this attitude and this atmosphere. [It] will be quite important after pretty challenging times in the recent months and, let's be honest, the last two years were not that easy for this club and we have to change mentality a little bit in the way that winning becomes a habit and this will be quite important.
“Experiences in English football and especially also in the Championship level will hopefully help me to be there and to create this attitude again.”
