Daniel Farke completes Leeds United talks after players leave building
New Leeds United manager Daniel Farke wanted to meet his club staff for late-night talks after the players had finished training and left the building at Thorp Arch, according to journalist Graham Smyth.
The former Norwich City boss Farke was appointed as the new Whites boss on a four-year deal on Tuesday (4 July), as confirmed by the official Leeds website.
The German already took his first training session at Thorp Arch on Thursday but according to Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Smyth, speaking on the Inside Elland Road podcast [6 July, 1m:30sec], Farke met his staff first for late-night talks before he met the Leeds players.
He said: “Farke’s already met the players, he met the staff Tuesday night, he wanted to meet the staff prior to the players and he wanted the players to have left the building before he kind of arrived because he wanted to meet them all as one, and not in dribs and drabs but in one big group on Wednesday morning.
“So on Tuesday once he completed his media duties after he’d signed his contract, obviously, and shaken hands all around and slapped the backs etc, then he travelled to Boston Spa, and met the staff and then on Wednesday, he met the players and then took them on their first training session.”
Huge work to do now
Given Farke’s impressive record in the Championship previously, the 49ers and the Leeds United hierarchy will certainly feel they’ve made the right choice for their immediate future.
The German coach is already proven at this level, having won over 70 games during his Carrow Road days and achieved two Championship titles along with promotions to the Premier League.
The Whites desperately needed that experience at the helm and more crucially, the winning mentality in order to compete in such a gruelling and unforgiving division.
The hard work at Elland Road certainly starts now, with Smyth revealing that Farke had already held talks with his staff and met the players, but some of those players may not be around any longer which means the club hierarchy will have to aid Farke in identifying the players he needs to ensure a swift Premier League return next season.
Farke is clearly and undoubtedly the right man, but the question remains whether the 49ers can hand him the resources to do what he does best.
In other Leeds United news, the club have been handed a boost to sign a Manchester United player this summer with Erik ten Hag likely to sanction his exit.