Daniel Farke has arrived at Leeds United and the German manager will be getting to work immediately. Pre-season training is already underway at Thorp Arch and with the start of the Championship season just four and a half weeks away, there’s no time to waste.
But, what should be his first task in his new role? We asked our club writers Beren Cross and Will Jackson for their opinions.
Beren Cross
Staff at Thorp Arch met Daniel Farke yesterday in the hours after he finally signed on the dotted line at Leeds United. This morning, he gets to work with the players for the first time.
Right as the footballs come out for the first time this pre-season, Leeds have their manager in place to take the lead. Luke Ayling, Junior Firpo, Liam Cooper, Marc Roca, Patrick Bamford, Luis Sinisterra and Georginio Rutter will be among the players meeting Farke at the training ground.
READ MORE: Leeds United pre-season initial learnings including Cooper, Dallas and Roca
Once the pleasantries and opening session is out of the way, though, Farke’s priority needs to be a summit with the dressing room’s leaders. Ayling, Cooper and Dallas need to be called into the German’s office as one of the manager’s first tasks.
Surviving coaches Michael Skubala and Marcos Abad will be able to fill Farke in to a certain degree, but nothing will match the insight he can take from the heart of the dressing room. Ayling, Cooper and Dallas will give Farke a no holds barred view on the mood among the players, who is committed, who is looking at the exit door and what they want from their manager.
Will Jackson
I fully expect Daniel Farke to be rushed off his feet from now until at least the start of the season. There’s so much to do and as a ‘manager’, rather than a ‘head coach’, he’ll be expected to have a say in most things going on at Elland Road.
He’ll have his transfer targets in mind and he’ll be keen to make progress on the training ground but his absolute priority, in my eyes, is persuading Tyler Adams to stay. It’s easier said than done but if he can get buy-in from Adams, he can be someone to build this season’s team around.
He’s the man who can set the tone, inspire and energise this Whites side, as he did at points last season. Adams looks suited to Farke’s style of play and having the American dominating in midfield should provide the platform for Leeds’ attackers to do the damage further up the field.
Promotion is the aim and that task looks a lot easier with Adams leading the way in the middle.
