Who will be next Leeds manager after Daniel Farke sack? A new favourite emerges
Leeds manager Daniel Farke faced an awkward international break, with the timid nature of the Whites’ 3-1 defeat at Nottingham Forest having taken the lead in a key six-pointer raising further questions about his future.
He has since lost another game to Aston Villa to leave Leeds United in the relegation zone with little hope of emerging.
We do have some sympathy for the way he was let down in the closing days of the transfer window, but the bleak days are starting to significantly outnumber the encouraging ones at Elland Road and in such a keenly contested relegation battle where so many rivals have made their move – or moves in some particularly silly cases – it does feel like change is inevitable in West Yorkshire. Though some sources suggest there is some ‘leniency’ towards Farke.
So then, the next question becomes who replaces him? According to the latest at oddschecker.com, it’s one of these lads.
9=) Mark Robins
Started the work at Coventry that Frank Lampard has taken on so well, and has now steered Stoke right back into the Championship promotion picture. A manager who feels certain to wind up in the Premier League one way or another, but we’d probably advise getting promoted into it rather than trying to save a sinking ship.
9=) Erik Ten Hag
Ten Hag’s prominence in all manner of Premier League markets feels quite incongruous, because it’s either a really big job that he surely won’t get after the way the last couple of years have gone for him, or a smaller job that feels beneath him. Leeds might just be the sweet spot. It might actually be just crazy enough to work. (It won’t work).
9=) Ange Postecoglou
Absolutely no sympathy now for any relegation battler who is beguiled by the Angeball charms of a man whose record across his last 27 games in the Premier League reads four wins, four draws and 19 defeats. And, in this specific case, with squads that have far more about them than Leeds’.
9=) Michael Carrick
A highly rated young manager, but it does feel like his route into the Premier League is now getting back in at an upwardly mobile Championship club and securing promotion. Especially now the prospect of a cheeky caretaker stint at Man United appears for now to be off the table.
9=) Kjetil Knutsen
Has turned Bodo/Glimt from also-rans into perennial Norwegian champions and frequent botherer of European big guns, which means he’s always a lively wildcard choice on these kinds of lists. We would love to see someone take a punt on him, but it also feels like it would be far better all round as a considered summer decision than a panicked mid-season firefighting one.
8) Gareth Southgate
He said he wanted a break and we’re not sure Leeds United have the lure to pull a man away from a break. They’re more likely to push him towards the edge.
7) Frank Lampard
Stop crying, Frank Lampard…
Not a chance.
5=) Gary O’Neil
There are worse options, despite the way it ended at Wolves. His initial work at both Bournemouth and Wolves paint a picture of a manager well capable of swiftly locating survival form in far harsher initial circumstances than he would find at Leeds. Just make sure you then take the brutal option of replacing him with someone better, as Bournemouth did, rather than handing a big fat contract and having to sack him, as Wolves did.
Current Leeds definitely feels like a better fit than Current Wolves, anyway.
5=) Steven Gerrard
His last crack at the Premier League was battling relegation with an Aston Villa side that has since become an established European regular under Unai Emery. He should be so lucky, frankly.
4) Carlos Corberan
The good news is that the former Huddersfield and West Brom could soon be available because his Valencia side are struggling horribly in La Liga.
The bad news is that the former Huddersfield and West Brom could soon be available because his Valencia side are struggling horribly in La Liga.
3) Brendan Rodgers
Feels inevitable that someone takes this option over the weeks ahead, doesn’t it? Also probably correct. He can be very annoying, but he does have a pretty solid body of Premier League evidence behind him despite assorted nonsenses.
You also know that the big-club history of Leeds would absolutely be something that appeals to the great man.
2) Marco Rose
There’s the obvious Red Bull connection for a manager who has managed both Salzburg and Leipzig as well as Gladbach and, briefly, Borussia Dortmund. He was the very flaky early favourite before this man emerged…
1) Bo Svensson
Reportedly turned down the Rangers job after also snubbing one of the biggest jobs in Belgium, presumably because he wants to manage in one of Europe’s top leagues after leaving Union Berlin last December. And Leeds offer the opportunity to manage in one of Europe’s top leagues, however briefly.
