Giving joy back to the Leeds United fanbase is Daniel Farke's main motivation as manager, and securing their place in next season's Premier League is part of that.
And where many managers claim they ignore it, Farke admitted he does take the views of pundits – at least those he respects – on board in good times and bad.
The Whites are in a relegation battle which will shape their medium-term future given how transformative Premier League money is. It makes Saturday's game at home to Wolverhampton Wanderers big.
But in years to come, Leeds’ 2025-26 will most likely be remembered for a first league win at Manchester United since 1981 and first FA Cup semi-final since 1987. Beat Chelsea next weekend and it will be about a first final since 1973.
Sharing moments with the fans as Farke and his players did at Old Trafford on Monday is both an important reward for the German, and a tool to achieve more.
"It was very special and you can feel how much it means to everyone," he said of the post-match scenes. "This is why you are doing this job – you want to give hope and pride and joy back to the people.
"This is the most enjoyable thing.
"It's not like you look at the league table or contracts, or what it means for the finances to reach a semi-final.
FANTASTIC: Daniel Farke enjoyed his moment with the Leeds United fans at Old Trafford on Monday (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)placeholder image
FANTASTIC: Daniel Farke enjoyed his moment with the Leeds United fans at Old Trafford on Monday (Image: Michael Regan/Getty Images)
"When you meet our supporters, normal human beings, and you see the pride and the joy in their eyes, it's why you do this job."
Involving fans in the celebrations was important too, Farke believes.
"I think it's key,” he said. “It's my general attitude that it should always be like this, especially with this club when you have such a passionate, huge and second-to-none fanbase. It's more important perhaps than it would be for other clubs.
"This club was always at its best when the club was united. If we do that, then this club can develop a force like nearly no other club in the whole country."
IMPORTANT GAME: Leeds United host Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday (Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)placeholder image
IMPORTANT GAME: Leeds United host Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Saturday (Image: Dan Istitene/Getty Images)
Farke and his players were rightly praised for their performance in Manchester, with ex-Red Devils captain Roy Keane joining the chorus.
"It's good," said Farke. "Better than if they throw rotten tomatoes.
"Normally if you get praise it's a sign you are successful as a team. But I don't put too much into it.
"For me it's always important that people who can judge what we are doing are there with compliments. I take this seriously in a positive or negative way.
"Roy Keane was a world-class player so if he praises my players it's normally a good sign because he knows what it means to be successful at Premier League level. They should take lots of pride out of it.
"For my job, the most important thing is when it's people who know how it is to be a manager."
Even sinking to his knees at full-time seems to have done the 49-year-old good.
"My knee problems have gone away since!” he chuckled.
"I'd been struggling for a few weeks since I went for a jog but since I was on my knees it was way better than the treatment of our physios!"
Leeds are the first relegation-threatened team to play this weekend. Tottenham Hotspur v Brighton and Hove Albion is at 5.30pm, Nottingham Forest host Burnley on Sunday, and West Ham United are at Crystal Palace on Monday.
A Leeds win would relegate Wolves if Spurs win or West Ham draw, and extend the gap to the relegation zone to nine points, at least temporarily.
There are five rounds of matches after this one.