Inside Leeds United's 'secret' training camp with absences, imminent arrivals and justice served — YEP 21/7/25

By Graham Smyth

Leeds United's Germany-based training camp got underway on Monday and the YEP was there to watch it all unfold.

Leeds United's pre-season training camp got underway on Monday morning with an intense session that mirrored day one of the 2024 edition.

The YEP is out in Germany and got a glimpse behind the scenes as Daniel Farke and his coaching staff put the players through their paces with a distinct emphasis on football. By this point of pre-season, there is still a lot of running and sprints to get fitness levels back up to where they need to be but the majority of their time out on the training pitch was taken up with football itself which allowed Joe Rodon and Ethan Ampadu to be their competitive, vociferous selves.

Activation and stretching came first on a tennis court, while security staff and the backroom team carried a set of goals from one pitch to another. Goalkeeping coach Ed Wootten, decked out in a pair of old-school Puma Kings with the fold-over tongue, was set to work with his charges on a separate pitch initially while the outfield players did the first bits of their work.

Leeds have paid even more attention to detail this summer, bringing two of their own ground staff members to Germany to give the pitches a little extra care and the surfaces were watered heavily prior to the session.

Before it got going Farke gathered his players for a quick chat and led a rendition of Happy Birthday for coach Christopher John, who then ran a gauntlet in a tunnel of back slaps. Farke then stepped in to confiscate a gold necklace, complete with crucifix, from the neck of Willy Gnonto who had forgotten to remove it before training. The manager passed the jewellery to first team operations manager Matt Robertshaw, quipping: "A gift for your missus...dear me."

There were other moments of levity before the session turned deadly serious. Both Gnonto and Jayden Bogle managed to escape the bulk of the first exercise they were set, mistakenly believing that they had to wait a minute before replacing Ethan Ampadu and Joe Rodon who set off first for short shuttle runs between poles. Instead the exercise was due to last a minute with the pairs splitting the time equally. Bogle then yelped in pain as Joel Piroe stepped on his foot, before Farke chided the 'British defender' for moaning.

The session moved quickly into passing drills, while Isaac Schmidt was undergoing a rehabilitation session on the other pitch. Farke's instructions to the players, who had to swap positions after progressing the ball in a vertical pattern and back again, was to adopt a 'deep body position' that would make it a 10/10 pass rather than a 9/10 pass. He asked for tidiness, not just technique, in order to take the bounce out of the ball and make life easier for the recipient.

Sam Chambers came in for some ribbing from his manager after aiming a sharp pass at Jack Harrison and instead finding the plastic pole the winger was next to. The pole snapped and a section flew in Harrison's direction leading Farke to mock-scold the youngster: "Not only taking out your team-mates but my training poles."

The quality of Chambers' other work - including two cushioned touches - was noticed and vocally encouraged by Harrison before the pair joined the rest of the group for more running drills, both short and long.

A pair of short-sided games with four mini goals in each pitch came next and while Farke's assistant Edmund Riemer explained the rules, Bogle dropped a shoulder to evade a wasp as Ao Tanaka grinned in amusement.

The games were focused on scoring off transition moments. A team with a numerical advantage had to pass the ball several times before they could shoot, while the team in 'underload' were allowed to have a crack at goal straight after winning the ball back. In between bursts of activity Riemer stressed to the players how difficult it is to get the ball back if they pressed without structure.

This was when the competitiveness began to ramp up and Rodon, more than anyone else, turned the air blue. There were loud appeals for a handball and disputes that lasted beyond the whistle. A Gnonto goal was celebrated wildly and in return Ampadu and Ramazani pointedly directed their own jubilation in the Italian international's direction after beating his team. Farke's response was typical. "Calm down, Edmund's mistake, I told him before that three Welsh players in one team is always dangerous."

Sebastiaan Bornauw was seen leaving the session at this point and discussing the reason with medical staff before heading indoors. The goalkeepers then joined for several small-sided games played between four teams with Farke making clear there was to be no arguing with the 'referees' because they would do a 'proper job.'

That edict fell largely on deaf ears. Even in the context of a training session, some of the football played was of an incredibly entertaining standard. Illan Meslier was at the heart of numerous spectacular moments and not just with his hands. The keeper, whose time at the club may well come to an end this summer when Leeds sign a number one stopper for the Premier League, fizzed a perfect ball over the top to put Bogle in behind and the right-back volleyed just over.

Bogle carried on where he left off in Saturday's impressive showing against Manchester United, nutmegging Largie Ramazani to get in on goal, only for the winger to pull him down by his bib, which tore in the process. A penalty, at the end of the four minute game, allowed the defender to get his justice and a goal.

Ramazani's frustration continued when he looked destined to score with a fierce drive and could only watch in agony as Meslier pulled off an eye-catching diving stop with his top hand. The keeper was up straight away to block Harry Gray with the rebound. The Frenchman was at it again with two more fine saves and then assisted Sean Longstaff with a clipped ball that dissected the defence.

Longstaff was not the only new boy showing a taste for goalscoring. Jaka Bijol, when he wasn't treating his new team-mates with aggression and physicality, stepped out of defence, linked up with Sam Byram and used his body shape to send the keeper the wrong way before slotting home. Ramazani then sparked to life with a slick backheel that sent Tanaka away to score. Joel Piroe sent Tanaka for a frankfurter with the sharpest of turns and duly deceived Meslier with his finish.

Other highlights included a James volley that Darlow tipped over acrobatically and Ampadu calling for the preparation of a match ball after twice bursting forward to score with real composure.

With the games finished the players were led on a jog around both pitches and then encircled their manager for a post-session debrief and various accolades handed out after the mini tournament.

Ice baths and recovery shakes followed, though not before Lukas Nmecha and Harrison went off for extra finishing work in the far corner. Then it was off to lunch, Pascal Struijk and a number of others opting to ride bicycles the hundred yards or so to the complex restaurant.

Leeds are due to take on German lower league opposition on Tuesday in a game that will be split into two 60 minute periods and then face a second friendly on Saturday. Both games will be held behind closed doors.

It is expected that Anton Stach, for whom a €20m move is nearing completion, will join in with his new team-mates once his medical and paperwork have been ticked off. Brenden Aaronson is set to arrive on Tuesday after his post-Gold Cup time off but it is not yet known if or when Mateo Joseph will make an appearance. There is transfer interest in the youngster, though the club have said he is not for sale. Every player does have their price but Leeds' stance on Joseph has been consistent all summer. A loan does not appear out of the question, which would allow Leeds to hold onto a player whose value could rise dramatically with a goal-laden season elsewhere.