Credit: Manh Tung/Breaking Media

Mark Smith

Wed 27 May 2026 12:50, UK

Daniel Farke has made it very clear that he isn’t happy to rest on his laurels at Leeds United.

After securing Premier League survival with relative ease at Elland Road, the German has urged everyone to kick forward, rather than pushing for a similar year next season.

Leeds finished 14th in their first year back in the Premier League, with Sunderland securing Europa League football and Burnley suffering relegation after promotion.

Paraag Marathe has now insisted that it may take three years to become an established side at the top table again, taking his time compared to Farke’s gung-ho message.

Farke has faced scrutiny several times while in charge of Leeds, and is now heading into his final contracted year in LS11, as things stand.

Daniel Farke fails with public speech on Leeds United

Simon Jordan is known for his outspoken nature, but as an ex-football club owner, he made it clear why many won’t be too impressed.

That is for Marathe and the 49ers to decide upon, though, who will be having those conversations with Farke heading into the summer.

Speaking live on talkSPORT, Jordan made it very clear that there was nothing wrong with what he was saying, just how he decided to deliver it.

“I think, Daniel Farke, for a very mature manager that was able to change in the course of the season and weather the storms, of people calling out his management”, he said.

“He is a fool for having an internal conversation, externally.

“There’s no benefit in that. Who are you informing? What are you doing?

“This is a perfectly reasonable conversation to have with his owner.”

How close was Daniel Farke to sack at Leeds United?

On more than one occasion, he looked very close.

Despite earning promotion from the Championship last year, there were several strong indications that Farke could be relieved of his duties before the Premier League season even started.

Marathe came out to squash those rumours, and he was rewarded as Leeds survived comfortably in the end at Elland Road.

Things were looking bleak in those first three months, though, and there were suggestions that Farke could be sacked again.

Instead, Leeds would beat Chelsea, draw with Liverpool and go on an incredible run with a new formation that set the Premier League alight.

Yes, Farke is right to remain ambitious and want to kick on, but the way in which he delivered his rallying call certainly didn’t sit right with many.

If he wants that new contract and to take Leeds United to the next level, everybody has to be on the same page and time will tell if that does happen.