Daniel Farke not expected to survive Leeds United sack in ‘shocking’ verdict
Daniel Farke won’t be able to survive the sack at Leeds United as he adds to a “shocking” record in the Premier League, according to Richard Keys.
After Leeds were beaten 2-1 at home by Aston Villa on Sunday to leave them sitting within the bottom three for the first time the pressure has ramped up on the German.
Back-to-back defeats to Brighton and Nottingham Forest ahead of the international break had raised sack questions at Leeds around Farke, and the latest result has only fanned the flames.
Farke survived 49ers Enterprises considering a change in the summer, and Keys says that was the wrong decision at the time and “I don’t see how he survives”.
Richard Keys expects Daniel Farke to be sacked
Part of the doubt around Farke despite winning the Championship title last term is thought to have revolved around his hugely-differing track record in the second tier vs the top flight.
Having previously been promoted twice as league winners at Norwich he was immediately relegated the first time around before being sacked with the Canaries on the way to going down the second.
Keys wrote in his blog this week that the German’s Premier League history is “shocking” and with just three wins added so far this season he is tipping Leeds to follow Norwich in dispensing with Farke’s services.
He wrote: “Someone else in trouble is Daniel Farke. I wonder if any of the decision makers at Leeds are thinking back to the start of the campaign when they considered firing Farke, despite the fact he’d won promotion? They should’ve done. And I’m not being smart now. I said so then.
“Farke has got a terrific record getting teams out of the C’ship. He’s done it three times, but he can’t keep a team in the PL.
“His record in the big league is awful – just six wins from 49 games at Norwich. And he lost 35 of the 49. You can add three more now from the 12 Leeds have played, but it’s still shocking. It really is. I don’t see how he survives.
“Before a ball was kicked I said they’d need to be really good at home to stand a chance of staying up. That’s still the case and Farke might be the man to do it if Leeds decide to stick not twist, but it’s a big call.
“It’s not as though they didn’t back the coach last summer – 10 new faces at a cost of £100m plus was a big investment.”
Sunderland dip could save Farke
Farke would be under pressure at Elland Road at the first sense of a slide because of the uncertainty that emerged amid the triumph at the end of last season.
But making things far more uncomfortable for him is the fact that Regis Le Bris’ Sunderland, who finished a full 24 points behind the Whites last term and went up via the Play-Offs, have been on such a good run.
Even after defeat to lowly Fulham, who were level on points with Leeds heading into the weekend, the Black Cats are still in seventh and two points of the top four.
Having upset Chelsea at Stamford Bridge and taken a point against league-leaders Arsenal few would have expected their 1-0 loss to the Cottagers though, so if they don’t bounce back straight away it could work in Farke’s favour.
Should they stop to drop down the table it would revert back to the recent norm for promoted sides, and make Leeds’ record not look so disastrous at this stage.
It might be a big ask but if he can’t generate some major results of his own quickly it might be the best he can hope for.
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