Daniel Farke shares ‘priceless’ Patrick Bamford admission after Leeds United win v Birmingham
Daniel Farke has admitted that Patrick Bamford’s goal against Birmingham City could be “priceless” for the Leeds United striker’s career at Elland Road.
The one-cap England international scored his first goal of the Championship campaign as the Whites ran out 3-0 winners over Birmingham City on Monday (1 January), with both Dan James and Crysencio Summerville also finding the net.
Bamford’s form this season has seen a number of pundits and supporters suggest that the 30-year-old is finished at Elland Road, but Farke has suggested that his goal against Birmingham could be the springboard for the striker’s season.
As quoted by the Yorkshire Evening Post (3 January) he said: “Obviously, a crucial goal is always priceless for the confidence of a striker and it’s important for Patrick.
“We need him in his best shape and we need him also in his confidence and his rhythm. [It’s] a pretty important day today for Patrick and also for our whole group, because we definitely need a player like him in his best shape.”
Time to kick on
The first half of the season has been incredibly disappointing for Patrick Bamford despite a reasonably impressive return to the Championship for Leeds United. The England international has been unable to provide the goals that most expected him to in England’s second tier.
But Monday’s match showed that he can still be that man in front of goal. In his first start of the season, he found the net after only 34 minutes to show that he is by no means finished in a Leeds shirt and can play a crucial role between now and the end of the season.
While the likes of Georginio Rutter and Summerville have been crucial to the Whites’ early season success, Farke needs goals from elsewhere in his side to sustain this promotion push. If Bamford can start contributing regularly, it could be a huge boost to the Whites.
He isn’t expected to start and score every week, but if he was able to pop with between five and ten goals between now and May, those strikes could prove to be genuinely “priceless” for Leeds United this season.
In other Leeds United news, Farke could now be under more pressure after Steve Cooper became available for a new role