Daniel Farke salutes double Leeds United boost and surprise with Championship ‘favourites’ view
Leeds United are in a new position of ‘expectation’ – yet a pleasantly surprised Daniel Farke says nothing has changed for his promotion-seeking Whites.
Farke’s side are now less than three weeks away from beginning a second crack at promotion back to the Premier League after last season’s heart-breaking end of defeat to Southampton in the Championship play-off final.
Even a fantastic haul of 90 points was not enough for Leeds to seal automatic promotion as Ipswich Town took the runners-up spot with 96 points, just one less than champions Leicester City on 97.
In winning the division, Leicester justified their position as title favourites, a mantle they held from the very start of the season.
One year on, that mantle now rests with Leeds who are clear 7-2 market leaders in the absence of Leicester, Ipswich and Southampton.
It means a new sense of expectation, at least from those producing the odds. Not in Farke’s book, though, United’s manager declaring that his team have been under pressure to win “more or less every game” since his arrival and taking the new position in his stride buoyed by a Whites surprise.
Speaking to the YEP, Farke was asked about United now being seen as ‘favourites’ and how his players had been upon returning from play-off final woe. Much to Farke’s delight, the answer to the latter was better than expected, the Whites boss also relishing the prospect of a double boost as Brenden Aaronson and Max Wober reintegrate into the squad after last season’s loan spells.
“If I am honest we are always seen as the favourites,” said Farke. “Even last season, we had the pressure more or less to win each and every game and we also have this attitude of we want to win each and every game so even last season doesn’t change that much.
“Overall, we all know it was a long last season with many many odds against us and it was of course a bit of a heart-breaking final. You need then also a few days and perhaps even a few weeks to recharge and to be ready for the new season. If I am honest it is also not important to be then really fully recovered on the first day of pre-season.
“We have in this pre-season nearly six weeks of working to build off this attitude. I am quite sure when the real stuff starts and we have then the group together and also all the incomings that we hopefully want and all the players back who were out on loan like Max Wober and Brenden Aaronson, when they are really fully reintegrated, I am sure then we are ready to go and this is quite important.
“It’s a bit like that after such an exhausting season, it is important that we are not too early really in red hot form because you have to keep it also for the 46 games. But we are preparing, pretty pretty focused and concentrated and if I am honest the players were in a much better mood and also shape than I actually expected.
“We are on a good path but you can’t speak right now that we are already there with 100 per cent. We definitely need this three weeks and then hopefully we are perfect.”
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