Phil Hay shares Daniel Farke hate admission for Leeds United fans in first meeting
Phil Hay has shared the words of Daniel Farke in his first meeting with the Leeds United boss, where he hinted that the fans may have to continue hating football before they love it again.
It was a warning to temper expectations and manage hype surrounding his arrival, and one that warned the fans to give him time and see in the long term what he could bring to the club.
That warning ended up being necessary after a slow start to the season, but now, with Leeds sitting third after 16 games, fans may finally start loving football again.
As Hay shared in The Athletic [13 November], Farke warned: “Daniel Farke kept his introduction at the low-key end of the scale in July, tucked away in a lounge on floor four of Elland Road’s East Stand, with no live broadcast and just a small collection of journalists present.
“There was plenty said in half an hour of conversation but nothing more prophetic than the quote at the beginning of this piece, the little warning that the crowd at Leeds might have to continue hating football a little longer before they learned to love it again.”
Wise words from the boss
When Farke first arrived at Elland Road, announced as the new manager to help guide Leeds back to the Premier League, the club was shrouded in uncertainty following their relegation just months before.
Several players were expected to leave the club, and several did, but the ones that stayed and the ones that Farke helped recruit would need time to gel and to learn their new boss’ demands before things finally started to click, and the manager knew that.
His warning to the fans was one of experience and realism, one that ended up being true and one that may yet remain true. The Championship is a chaotic division in which you must expect the unexpected and even if things are going well, nobody knows how long it will last.
The recent upturn in form has Leeds feeling on top of the world, but expectations must still be tempered and Farke’s warning must be heeded. A realistic approach will be necessary to keep the good feeling around the club strong.
In other Leeds United news, a journalist has shared a fresh update on Wilfried Gnonto’s future.