Robin Koch makes ‘extreme risk’ Leeds United admission, talks situation that was not easy at Elland Road
Robin Koch admits Leeds United defended with an “extreme risk” during his time at the club and spoke of the “not an easy situation” he faced after relegation.
The centre-back was one of several players who took advantage of a clause in their contract to depart the club on loan after Leeds were relegated last season, joining Eintracht Frankfurt in the Bundesliga.
No team conceded more Premier League goals than the 78 shipped by Leeds last term, but Frankfurt have the meanest backline in the German top flight so far this campaign, letting in only five in seven games.
Koch, speaking on the Eintrach vom Main podcast in quotes reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post (13 October) explained: “In Leeds, it was very high pressing and therefore also extreme risk at the back. For a defender, it’s naturally more pleasant to play to nil for a change or to generally concede few goals.
“We don’t just defend in threes [at Eintracht].”
Speaking about his personal feeling after dropping into the second tier with Leeds, he added: “After relegation, it was not an easy situation. I didn’t want to know anything at first, I was just disappointed and had to process the situation first.”
“That already starts at the front. From there, it’s important that the whole team participates.”
Leeds have moved on
Koch is on long list of players alongside the likes of Brenden Aaronson, Max Wober, Rasmus Kristensen and Luis Sinisterra who the Leeds fans will have lost absolutely no love for.
A squad of players who got the club into an almight mess could have stayed, fought hard, and tried to get the club back to the top flight at the easiest opportunity.
Instead, they took the easy way out – an easy way out admittedly made possible by baffling contracts inserted into contracts by the previous regime at Elland Road.
Koch spoke about the difficulties Leeds had defensively, which are all pretty legitimate in fairness, but honestly is it not just time for everyone to move on?
Leeds are in a far healthier place now under the 49ers Enterprises and the management of Daniel Farke. That’s what everyone around the club is focusing on, and rightly so. Let’s get this international break over and push again.
In other Leeds United news, Charlie Cresswell has given Daniel Farke food for thought after what he did on international duty.