"Ready to pull the trigger" - Future claim made on 49ers and Daniel Farke as pressure on Leeds United builds | OneFootball

FLW's Leeds United fan pundit assesses whether Daniel Farke is the right man for the 49ers long-term.

This article is part of Football League World's 'Terrace Talk' series, which provides personal opinions from our FLW Fan Pundits regarding the latest breaking news, teams, players, managers, potential signings and more…

Upon his arrival at Leeds United, Daniel Farke penned a four-year contract at Elland Road in what was a statement from the club about the mid-to-long-term building of the club in his hands.

Since relegation in 2023, promotion has been the aim all season for Farke's side, and 90 points was not enough to secure their top-flight status, meaning the club had to embark on a first play-off campaign since 2019, when Marcelo Bielsa oversaw a two-legged defeat to Derby County.

Defeat to Southampton was always likely to have lasting consequences, albeit the German retained his job with Leeds. He has since had to make many tough calls as manager through the summer window, especially after the departures of Crysencio Summerville, Georginio Rutter, Archie Gray, and Glen Kamara from the first-team squad.

Even with such key players of last season's efforts departing, Leeds fans will have optimism that they have the required depth and quality in their ranks to mount another promotion push by the time the window closed. But the loss to Burnley, after good wins in the two games prior, has seen doubt grow among the fanbase regarding Farke.

For many neutral fans, they are in good hands, as the former Norwich boss is a two-time Championship winner and is aiming for a third promotion in four years from the second tier, having only narrowly missed out on automatic promotion last season as well.

However, results at the back end of the season saw Farke come under some scrutiny from certain sections of the fanbase, having failed to pip Ipswich Town to second from a strong position. That hasn't been helped by the fact his side have got off to a rocky start this season after defeat to Scott Parker — another promotion favourite in 2024/25.

The long-term plan for Leeds United and Daniel Farke

Farke was allowed to help oversee things and played a key role in recruitment this summer, but has come under some pressure from a few sections of the Leeds faithful in recent months, as pressure builds on gaining promotion even more this term than last season.

Football Insider reporter Pete O'Rourke has claimed that the pressure is on to deliver promotion, with Leeds' chiefs expect to return to the Premier League for the 2025/26 season, so the pressure is on the 47-year-old to turn their fortunes around soon or he will likely face the sack.

Should he gain promotion this term, the question will then be how his team and tactics would translate to Premier League football, having struggled to get a tune out of Norwich City in the top-flight before. So, is Farke the right man in the long-term for Leeds? We asked FLW’s resident Leeds United fan pundit Kris Smith.

He said: "I do still think Farke has what it takes to get this Leeds team out of the Championship, given that it is a weaker division this time around than what it was last season.

"We finished third behind Ipswich and lost out to Southampton in the play-offs, and I think Farke does have his issues .

"They, unsurprisingly, get brought up whenever we have a bad result, like the Burnley one that has just been.

"There is plenty to like about Farke in this division. Look how well we counter-press, and how good in general we are out of possession, plus how swift we are on the counter in transition.

"But, looking more long-term, there are issues. Especially if we are looking to hopefully get to that next level and with promotion back to the Premier League.

"I can't see Farke being the man to help us consolidate in the top tier. Some of his decision-making and management of games, for me, would be a real issue; it would be exploited in the top-flight.

"His substitutions and how he looks to break teams down who are solid at the back when we're chasing a game are concerns.

"I think that would stick in the Premier League and I don't think he'd be able to resolve that. Plus, we've seen twice with Norwich City that it has not really worked for him.

"Granted, I think we'd actually spend more money to help him than Norwich did, but for the 49ers? It really would not surprise me if they're ready to pull the trigger on Farke from the moment we get promoted to the Premier League."

Pressure grows on Leeds United and Daniel Farke

Due to Leeds still boasting one of the strongest squads in the second-tier this season, there is always going to be pressure on a manager if he fails to get a side of such quality in the Premier League at the second time of asking.

There are particular challenges Farke needs to find better answers for in terms of breaking teams down sat deep, and then there is the question of how Leeds may evolve in the Premier League as well, where the teams that survive are usually more adaptable to the new division.

Of course, there is difficulty in going from being a dominant side to one that sees less of the ball and does not have the technical superiority over their opponent, as was seen with Burnley last season and Southampton so far this term.

However, Smith is right to point out that he has proven to be the right man for the role in many ways for this league, and that he should make the Whites competitive this term, there are those longer-term problems that will arise if Leeds gain promotion in 2024/25.

It's something for Paraag Marathe, Gretar Steinsson and co. to consider throughout the season as they plan for whichever division they are in next term.