Daniel Farke makes Leeds United job title request amid transfer plans after Jesse Marsch failure under Victor Orta
Daniel Farke specifically asked to be the Leeds United “manager” rather than the “head coach” because he wants to be involved in more than just coaching, “crucially” including the transfer window, Beren Cross reports for Leeds Live.
The German was announced as the new Whites boss on Tuesday (4 July), with the current window long-since opened and with extensive business in both directions still required at Elland Road.
And in contrast to the last full-time man in the dug-out Jesse Marsch, who was a head coach rather than a manager [Sky Sports, 7 February], it appears the club will this time have a hands-on presence regarding the recruitment side of things.
Beren Cross wrote in his Leeds Live report on Tuesday night (4 July) after the new man’s confirmation: “The job title really does say everything about the process behind the scenes. Farke asked to be a manager and not a head coach.
“The 46-year-old wants to be more involved in the wider organisation of the club and, crucially, more involved in transfers rather than a coach out on the field waiting for players to be sent his way.”
Much-needed
The old-fashioned manager is much rarer than it used to be but in the current circumstances at Leeds United it’s hard to see anything else working.
Given the delays prior to Farke’s announcement have compressed the time available to complete a much-needed overhaul of the squad in time to kick off the Championship campaign all the key figures need to put their heads together to get the job done.
The 49ers’ takeover still hasn’t even been made official, although there is hope that it will arrive within days, and Nick Hammond has been brought in for a reason so will play a role in the market.
But the ex-Newcastle man won’t emulate Victor Orta who recruited heavily on targets to provide for Marsch in the past two transfer windows only for the American to fail to make the most of them.
That model proved to be little more than an expensive flop for the most part as Marsch was fired a week after the January market closed, Orta departed a month before the season ended, and the Whites were ultimately relegated.
Farke is going to need to overcome the likely exits of a number of those brought in during that time with Brenden Aaronson and Rasmus Kirstensen two of the ex-Red Bull men supposed to suit Marsch already on the brink of leaving.
And after that the German will need to pick up the pieces of what remains, potentially convincing some to stay such as yet another Red Bull alum Tyler Adams, and bring in his own men to augment what he has at his disposal.
It would be a major job for a manager who had already been at the club for a few years and had the whole summer to do it in, so for a new boss to have just a few weeks to get up to speed for the new season he has his work cut out, but apparently is backing himself for the challenge.
In other Leeds United news, Farke’s arrival has already sent one notable Elland Road figure packing according to Phil Hay.