Leeds United fans will be worried after Isaac Schmidt admission by Daniel Farke
Daniel Farke’s comments on Isaac Schmidt’s readiness for the Championship could cause concern among the Leeds United fanbase.
Speaking in his press conference prior to United’s match against Burnley [12 September], Farke made clear that Schmidt is still yet to get up to speed physically with the rigours of Championship football.
Schmidt arrived at Elland Road on transfer Deadline Day in a seven-figure move from Swiss side St. Gallen, but Farke’s update will leave fans questioning just when the 24-year-old will be ready to make an impact
Farke said: “You have to keep a bit in mind, so far he has not played in one of the top five leagues in Europe so it is a different scenario.
“The Premier League for me is the best in the world, but the Championship is the toughest due to the load of the game and physicality.
“We will give him time to adapt to this – it’s not like he comes straight into the team and cuts the league into pieces.”
Leeds United fans will ponder Isaac Schmidt timeline
Schmidt’s arrival at Elland Road has seemingly been pitched as a transfer done with cover in mind, due to Junior Firpo and new signing Jayden Bogle being Farke’s first choices on the flanks of his defence.
Sam Byram is capable of playing both left and right-back, as is Schmidt, but the 30-year-old cannot cover both positions at once should the situation arise over the course of the next few matches.
Therefore, Schmidt could be thrown in at the deep end if a player like Firpo – whose injury record at Elland Road is a patchy one – is unavailable, and he’ll need to be ready with the stakes higher than ever.
How Schmidt gets up to speed with the physicality of the Championship without playing in it remains to be seen, given he can’t even be used in the EFL Cup after United were knocked out in the first round.
At 24, Schmidt is far from an up-and-coming prospect, and with every game vital in United’s push for promotion, Farke and fans alike will be hoping he can make a smooth transition to the Championship.
In other Leeds United news, Mateo Joseph was sent a message of congratulations on social media from a certain Barcelona-based star.
For more Leeds news, follow us on Facebook or join our brand new WhatsApp Channel for instant updates to be sent straight to your phone.