Leeds United have Daniel Farke in the dugout as manager for the third season in a row, but their first as a Premier League club.
Daniel Farke remains Leeds United boss in spite of the fact the 49ers are said to have considered sacking Farke towards the end of last season. However, it was then made clear that the 49ers had chosen to keep Farke for the 2025/26 season.
That said, Farke’s side are yet to score a goal in open play in the Premier League. They are currently in the middle of a somewhat kinder-looking run of Premier League fixtures as well. It’s a crucial period for the club to pick up points.
Nothing is imminent right now but the reports that the 49ers could replace Farke were strong and difficult to ignore at one stage. Another consideration for the Leeds hierarchy is that sacking Farke would mean a year’s salary as compensation.
Daniel Farke warned by Graham Smyth that he has a ‘short leash’ at Leeds
Leeds chairman Paraag Marathe heaped praise on Farke in his promotion statement after Leeds’ place in the top flight was confirmed. Farke then responded to the sack claims and he was backed this summer to the tune of over £100 million.
However, many Leeds fans are eyeing Nuno Espirito Santo already. It may be unfair, but Farke’s Premier League record is not one which fills fans with much optimism. Graham Smyth was asked the below on The Inside Elland Road podcast about the situation.
“Daniel Farke was very clear before the window of what he thinks his team needed. That didn’t come to pass. How was he responded to that? And did you think could you read between the lines and anything he was saying?”
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Smyth said: “There was a couple of lines and a little couple of times that I thought, ‘that’s quite clever that he’s brought that up’. Does he mean to be that clever or is he just being you know completely transparent, open, honest and transparent as he likes to say?
“Firstly, he he started off by saying, ‘look, I’m not going to talk nonsense and try and pretend that we didn’t want players in because we did’.
“But at the same time, he was very quick to try and move on from it. You know, ‘we didn’t get the player. You’re not going to hear me moan about it’. I was absolutely certain he would say, ‘But we don’t complain about this’.
“Because he says it all the time. He didn’t say it. Slightly disappointed, he did say, ‘You’re not going to hear me say a bad word. You’re not going to hear me moan and be negative. What would that say to my current players?’.
“And that is a good point. You know, if he was labouring the point, we didn’t get enough. Firstly, he’s setting himself on a collision course with the 49ers. Secondly, he’s saying to the dressing room, ‘you lot are nowhere near good enough to keep us up. We are in trouble here’.
“And he can’t afford really to do either of those things. You know, he has to keep the owners as sweet as humanly possible.
“Because, I think, in terms of a leash in the Championship, Daniel Farke is the man that you want. Undoubtedly, he’s the specialist. He is the one that if you hire him and give him a decent squad, he’s going to get results.
“He knows exactly how to get results in that division. And he did it with Leeds over two seasons. And the second time he went up in the Premier League, you’re a lot less certain that he is the man to get you the results.
“And so, I think the leash that he’s on is a lot shorter, just as it probably is for — I don’t know, goodness knows how many managers in the Premier League. You’ve already seen one go. That was, for me, a complete surprise move.
“Well, not a surprise move because I think that ownership could do just about anything — could be responsible for just about anything. But I don’t think that should have happened. I think, given what Forest did last season, it’s insane to get rid of him.
“But it just goes to show that anyone can get the bullet in the Premier League when it comes to managers. So, I do think he’s on a shorter leash. I do think he might be more mindful or better advised to keep everybody on side.
“And I wonder if that was maybe at the heart of how diplomatic he was when it came to talking about the the transfer deadline day.”
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Eddie Gray’s verdict on Daniel Farke
Eddie Gray has been baffled at the idea of sacking Farke previously, stating towards the back end of last season that he doesn’t understand why Farke wouldn’t get a shot at Premier League football with the Whites.
“There has been a few things in the press about the manager being under pressure? The manager has done terrific.
“He’s getting paid to do one thing, get us out this division, so he deserves a shot at the big league.”
While this is true, the Premier League is unforgiving. In that sense, a short leash might be the sensible plan of action for the 49ers, as Smyth alludes to.