Daniel Farke paying little attention to speculation over his future

Leeds boss Daniel Farke has not been surprised by reports this week that the club are considering sacking him despite securing Premier League promotion.

The Whites sealed their top-flight return after a two-year absence on Monday when they routed Stoke 6-0 at Elland Road and Sheffield United lost at Burnley, who have also been promoted.

Farke twice won promotion as Championship winners with Norwich, but following his latest success, it was reported that the club have doubts he is the right man to keep them up.

Leeds have not commented, while a section of their fans have also questioned Farke’s Premier League credentials and speculation over his future has mounted on social media.

When asked if he felt disrespected by the reports, Farke said: “Not at all, it’s not surprising.

“I knew for which club I signed, I’m not sure how many managers Leeds United had in the last 20 years, but it’s a good effort if you last for three months at this club.

“Once you sign a contract you know there’s lots of pressure, noise, expectations. On a weekly basis someone is linked by following you in these footsteps. It’s nothing new or what I wouldn’t expect.

“This club is so emotional and so big, journalists who were never here and have never spoken to one person in the club, of course they want to report some news. If you want some clicks, you sometimes need shock news.”

Farke’s critics have reservations because of his record in the Premier League with Norwich.

They won promotion in 2019, but were relegated straight back down and after an immediate return the following season, Farke was sacked in November 2021 with the Canaries bottom after winning only one of their first 11 games.

Leeds (and Burnley) are on course for 100 points – only six teams have achieved that previously in the Championship – and only once in a single season (1927-28) have they scored more than their 89 goals.

Farke said he had met with club chairman Paraag Marathe on Thursday evening to discuss the immediate future.

The 48-year-old German added: “We’ve got a really trustful and really good relationship.

“I last talked with Paraag last evening, already speaking about a few things we want to do with the future.

“For no other club than Leeds would I have taken on the (Championship) challenge again but I know what potential this club has and want to achieve what no one has really achieved in the last decades to make an established Premier League side.”