Kjetil Knutsen ‘wild punt’ to be new Leeds manager amid Farke sack latest
Daniel Farke will take his Leeds United side on their longest trip of the season for the league finale on Saturday.
Leeds visit a Plymouth Argyle side whose goal difference effectively condemns them to relegation, while Farke’s men are out to secure their crown as champions – and with 100 points to boot.
The German is fully focused on delivering even further for the Whites ahead of a huge summer in preparation for the Premier League – but whether he gets the chance to guide his team through it is another matter.
Leeds ‘wild punt’ for Europa League manager debated
Following the completion of the promotion job by Leeds United, Farke was almost immediately linked with the sack.
In what would be the boldest of moves by Paraag Marathe and 49ers Enterprises, the 48-year-old’s future has become unclear due to his less-than-inspiring previous Premier League record while with Norwich City.
TV commentator and Premier League analysis expert Ian Darke, speaking exclusively to MOT Leeds News, has been on Farke’s side throughout the sack links.
Darke has insisted Leeds could not guarantee an adequate replacement “unless Pep Guardiola would walk through the door”, and rubbished alleged interest in Bodo/Glimt manager Kjetil Knutsen as a “wild punt”.
“Who would they replace him with? The Bodo/Glimt manager [Knutsen]? That would just be a wild punt,” he complained.
“Farke has been around in England for a long time – he may well have learnt a lot to pull it off in the Premier League this time.
“He needs backing – not the ownership to make a change. Unless Pep Guardiola would walk through the door, it would just be a wild punt.”
Farke and Knutsen both have huge weeks in store
As Farke prepares to round off Leeds’ season with a flourish down in Devon, Knutsen has his work cut out too.
The 56-year-old Norwegian – whose Bodo side have only just begun their domestic league season – is ready to take on one of the biggest ties in their club’s history, the Europa League semi-final against Tottenham Hotspur.
| Kjetil Knutsen – managerial career | |
| Hovding | 1995-2004 |
| Fyllingsdalen | 2009-2013 |
| Asane | 2014-2016 |
| Bodo/Glimt | 2018-present |
Spurs themselves are desperate to end their own 17-year trophy drought following what is set to be their worst-ever Premier League finish, with the first leg in North London on Thursday night (1 May).
Two days later, the club with whom Knutsen has been linked could become centurions of the Championship before leaving the EFL behind for the top flight once again.