For many Leeds United supporters, their feelings on Daniel Farke will have changed in the past 24 hours. The defeat to Nottingham Forest has seen many call for Farke’s axe.
The 3-1 defeat was worrying. It was against a side below Leeds in the table, and Farke looked bereft of ideas. Sympathy regarding a lack of attacking signings, or doubt over his job in the summer, has gone.
Farke didn’t make changes and Sean Dyche did, and it changed the game. He left Willy Gnonto back in Yorkshire, and he failed to take any blame after the match. Fans want Farke gone after the 3-1 defeat.
It comes after reports before the game said Farke had five games to save his job. The first and easiest of the five has come and gone and Farke will now be fearing a phone call from chairman Paraag Marathe.
But who would replace Farke? Well, when doubts emerged over Farke’s suitability to lead Leeds into the Premier League in the summer, five managers were linked with Leeds. Here is how they’re getting on.
Daniel Farke during Leeds' defeat to Forest.
Photo by Andrew Kearns – CameraSport via Getty Images
The five managers linked with Leeds in the summer
Davide Ancelotti (Botafogo)
With Leeds considering a move to sack Farke after promotion, before Paraag Marathe said Leeds would stick with him, reports said Leeds had approached three managers. One of them was Carlo’s son Davide.
Having worked with Carlo at Bayern, Everton and Real Madrid, Davide followed his old man to Brazil but to work as Botafogo manager, while Carlo took the Brazil job. The 36-year-old has won 12 of 27 games.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst (Liverpool assistant)
Another of the three approached, van Bronckhorst, was out of work in the summer. It comes after a tricky spell with Besiktas, where he lasted 20 games and won half of those. The Turkish side expected better.
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Now, van Bronckhorst is working under Arne Slot as an assistant coach at Liverpool. But should a chance to manage a Premier League club arise, it is easy to imagine the former Rangers manager taking it.
GVB’s managerial career
Club Spell Games W-D-L Honours Win %
Feyenoord 2015-2019 176 107-26-43 League titleFour Cups 60.8
Guangzhou(Dissolved) Jan 2020 – Dec 2020 23 7-6-10 N/A 30.4
Rangers Nov 2021 – Nov 2022 68 42-12-14 One CupEuropa League final 61.2
Besiktas Jun 2024 – Nov 2024 20 10-4-6 N/A 50
Jose Mourinho (Benfica)
Mourinho had gone on record, while Fenerbahce manager, saying he would like to return to the Premier League. Then, Richard Keys claimed Mourinho had turned down a move to Leeds, to replace Farke.
It is claimed that is the reason why Marathe stood by Farke, because the Special One decided to remain at Turkish side Fenerbahce. He has since left Fenerbahce to rejoin his first-ever managerial club, Benfica.
Jose Mourinho looks on during Fenerbahce's clash against Sivasspor.
Photo by Sercan Kucuksahin/Anadolu via Getty Images
Bo Henriksen (Mainz)
Henriksen is starring in his first big job in Europe’s top-five leagues with Mainz, after spells with Midtjylland and Zurich. In the summer, Leeds reportedly held talks with the Danish boss over a move.
Under his guidance, Nadiem Amiri has been reborn. Former Leverkusen ace Amiri, who came within an inch of joining Leeds in 2023, has gone to Mainz and become captain. Henriksen is an exciting gaffer.
Roger Schmidt (J League advisor)
Widely experienced German gaffer was the last of the three to be approached by Leeds in the summer, as per reports. A former Salzburg, Leverkusen, PSV Eindhoven and Benfica manager, he knows the game.
Roger Schmidt sat in the dug out when in charge of Benfica.
Photo by Carlos Rodrigues/Getty Images
While he has never managed in England, he has managed in five different countries and is now in Japan as a global advisor for the J League. Schmidt has not had a managerial job since leaving Benfica in 2024.