Why Leeds United boss Daniel Farke is not holding Norwich City play-off press conference — YEP 15/5/24
By Graham Smyth
Such is the way of the modern game that every word uttered
by managers like Leeds United's Daniel Farke is scrutinised and the same can be
true of the words left unsaid.
Farke and Leeds decided last week that with no contractual
obligation to hold a pre-game press conference for the play-off semi-final
second leg, there was no real argument to do so. The logic? Well what has
changed since he last spoke to the media after Sunday's 0-0 first leg draw? The
opponent is the same. He's talked about facing Norwich already on three
separate occasions this season. His feelings on that club and the difficulty
they pose as a team are no different. The job at hand is the same, the stakes
have not changed and just about anyone could sit in front of a microphone and
call this a big game or a must-win fixture. The only new information that Farke
might bring to the table to discuss was any team news and given that he ruled
Patrick Bamford out of this fixture almost a week ago, even that might be
exactly the same. Besides, from a Leeds perspective, would keeping a secret or
two from Norwich be such a bad thing?
Before this strays into turkey voting for Christmas
territory, press conferences are still an important part of the footballing
week. They're a chance to update supporters on the health and wellbeing of
their players, address any number of situations engulfing the club, the team or
individuals, an opportunity to explain decisions and philosophies. The concerns
of fans can be represented and, sometimes, assuaged. With access to club
owners, particularly those based elsewhere, so limited a manager becomes a spokesman
- fairly or not - for the entire organisation. Accountability is a difficult
thing to bring to a football club’s doorstep but press conferences offer a
small window in that regard. When Marcelo Bielsa was at the helm he was a
figurehead. His press conferences could be utterly fascinating. There were
times when it felt like he was on a mission to educate, or at least to advocate
for principles in danger of being lost from the game. Had Farke held a press
conference this week, the YEP would have been there because no chance to put
questions to the manager of Leeds United should or will ever be missed. An
opportunity to dig a little into the likelihood of seeing an Archie
Gray-Georginio Rutter axis in the second leg, or unearthing some detail on what
it is you focus on in training before tackling the same opponent in a game
that, unlike the first leg has to be won, would have been nice.
But if Farke was holding a pre second leg presser this week,
what would he be saying? We can take some pretty safe guesses, or as he might
put it: "Sometimes you have to be there with some pretty, pretty spot on
guesses." How big is this game? Yes it's a spotlight game and we know we
have to win it if we want to be there with a chance of the best possible prize.
Are your players ready for such a big game? Yes they have been focused and they
are prepared but it is one thing to bring the ideas to the head and the hearts
of the players, they need to bring it onto the pitch, but I trust all my
players. What role will the Elland Road fans play? We need each and every
supporter, especially in difficult moments. Put a mic in his hand this week and
he would, of course, play all the hits.
How the decision to stay silent will come to be viewed is,
like anything, linked heavily to whatever result Leeds get from this game. Win
it and no one cares, let alone remembers to make a point of it. Lose and you
might as well chuck it in with every other decision that will be torn asunder
amid the wailing and gnashing of teeth. It will of course pale in significance
next to the Holy Trinity of team selection, tactics and recruitment.
There is a case to make that a pre-match briefing would have
been a chance to issue one last rallying cry to the fans. And perhaps to set
the tone, publicly, for his players. A Leeds fan working elsewhere in the world
of football communications recently remarked in the minutes directly following
Farke's pre-Southampton press conference that they would 'run through brick
walls' for him. The German had been asked how comfortable he was in backing
players that might have let him down a little of late. In response he mounted a
defence of his players and their season that should have had them striding
around Thorp Arch at their very tallest, with shoulders drawn back. Of course,
it did not lead to the result they wanted in that game, but all season Farke
has protected his youngsters through his public utterances in order to keep
them onside and on track for what still remains possible. If the mood was dark
at the tail end of the season, then the Norwich performance was somewhat of a
dawn, at least in terms of fight and defensive effort. Farke might say that if
his players don't know what he thinks of them and how much he rates them by
now, then they never will.