Why Leeds’s pre-season trip to Germany will be behind closed doors — and the other plans — The Athletic 25/6/24
By Nancy Froston
Daniel Farke will take Leeds United on a trip to his home
country this summer — but he will have to do so without his club’s fans.
The manager and his players will travel to Germany for a
training camp as part of their pre-season preparations. This will include
friendly matches, but those games will have to take place behind closed doors.
This is because of an issue with policing and security after
this summer’s European Championship. A limited number of police officers and
security will be available following the tournament, which concludes on July
14.
Hundreds of thousands of fans have travelled to Germany for
the month-long tournament, requiring maximum staffing for security and
emergency services over the summer. After the tournament is over, policing will
return to normal levels and with staff taking annual leave Leeds were informed
that local authorities would not be able to accommodate a large travelling
support.
Sources at Leeds, kept anonymous to protect relationships,
have said senior figures have worked extensively with German authorities in a
bid to facilitate fans being able to attend games. But this has not been
successful.
A Leeds statement said: “Unfortunately, due to circumstances
beyond control of the club, we have recently been informed that any friendly
matches played in Germany have been ordered to take place behind closed doors.
“We understand that supporters will be frustrated at this
news, as we are equally as a club. We have explored all possible avenues,
however, it has not been possible to overturn this decision.
“As always, we would like to thank you for your commitment
and dedication, but in light of the above, we kindly ask supporters expecting
to see Leeds United in pre-season training or matches, not to travel to
Germany.”
Beyond the frustration around the trip to Germany, there has
been a sense of waiting for things to fall into place this summer for Leeds.
Discussions have taken place with returning loan players.
Brenden Aaronson is back in the fold, while Jack Harrison has rejoined Everton.
The rumour mill continues to swirl around Leeds’ saleable assets in Crysencio
Summerville, Archie Gray and others — but nothing has yet reached the stage of
a serious offer.
But when players arrive at the start of July for pre-season
testing, they will do so in a more settled environment than existed last summer
— even with anticipated departures.
Some players heading out and some coming in is normal for
the summer period. It presents a stable foundation for Daniel Farke to transmit
his ideas and fine-tune a squad he will believe can win promotion from the
Championship next season.
A year ago, after relegation from the Premier League, Leeds’
retained list was announced. Tyler Roberts, Joel Robles and Adam Forshaw left
the club before Farke was appointed on July 4. In general terms, it was not a
late appointment. Leeds’ process saw them interview Farke and former Crystal
Palace manager Patrick Vieira. Both impressed, but the German edged it.
Among the key criteria was hiring a manager from a top-four
league. Farke had just left German Bundesliga side Borussia Monchengladbach a
few weeks earlier, and had two recent Premier League promotions with Norwich
City on his CV.
And Farke is very much a manager rather than a head coach,
which feels symbolic at a club of Leeds’ size. He has a crucial say in
transfers and made some big early calls last summer. These included holding
onto Pascal Struijk and finding a way to get an unsettled Willy Gnonto back on
board. He was involved in some discussions about outgoings when it became clear
that he was the man Leeds wanted but there were hold-ups — 49ers Enterprises’
preferred timeline of announcing its takeover of the club, then unveiling the
new man in the dugout, followed by sorting transfers, did not happen due to
delays with the English Football League (EFL) ratifying the first of those
three events.
So when players returned for their usual pre-season visit to
Leeds Beckett University to undergo physical testing, Farke was set to be
announced but wasn’t yet in the door. A number of the squad had one foot out of
that door and were not at testing anyway. Rodrigo was sold to Saudi club Al
Rayyan while Robin Koch, Diego Llorente and Aaronson all departed on loan
during Farke’s first week in the job. Further loan exits for Rasmus Kristensen
and Marc Roca happened before the takeover was announced on July 17.
While the investment arm of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers
had a presence at the club before the full takeover, it was hardly a settled
summer for Farke’s pre-season plans.
The preparation period was shortened by the knock-on effects
of the Premier League’s winter break following the World Cup in Qatar the
previous November and December. A mixed series of friendlies — a 2-0 defeat to
Manchester United in Norway, a loss to Monaco of France’s Ligue 1 by the same
score up the road in York and wins over Nottingham Forest of the Premier League
and Scottish Premiership side Hearts spilled over into a slow start in the
league.
The first three games in the Championship passed without a
win, against Cardiff City, Birmingham City and West Bromwich Albion. At that
time, the Gnonto saga was ongoing, Farke experimented with Jamie Shackleton and
Joe Gelhardt in midfield roles. The season only really got going towards the
close of the window on September 1, with a win at Ipswich Town. Leeds kicked on
from there. Farke proved what he could achieve with a club in transition, which
should be encouraging in the current circumstances.
Leeds are limiting disruption where they can this summer.
Though some players are away at national-team tournaments —
Aaronson at the Copa America with the USA and Max Wober (Austria), Liam Cooper
(Scotland) and Kristensen (Denmark) at the European Championship — only
progress to the final of either would keep them on duty with their country as
late as July 15. But it is likely that, as is their right for a non-FIFA
competition, Leeds will restrict players from participating in the Olympics’
football tournament in France — this runs from July 24 to August 9. Aside from
the fact that Leeds would be paying their wages while they are gone, the risk
of injury so near to the season (EFL 2024-25 kicks off on the weekend of August
10-11) is always a concern.
Georginio Rutter is not part of France’s squad — their coach
Thierry Henry has lamented the lack of availability of players for the
tournament on home soil. Mateo Joseph (Spain) and Junior Firpo (as an overage
pick for the Dominican Republic at a tournament that is otherwise for players
under the age of 23) are the other two Leeds players likely to be affected,
with both nations’ squads yet to be announced.
Leeds’ logic is that involvement in their pre-season takes
priority, which feels particularly relevant for Joseph, who should have a
bigger role for the club next season. The 20-year-old played twice for Spain
Under-21s in March after officially switching his allegiance from England to
the country of his birth.
After the usual testing at the start of July, Leeds have a
plan in place. Domestic friendlies have been arranged against League Two
neighbours Harrogate Town and Spanish visitors Valencia. There will also be the
trip to Germany — without the presence of fans.
There are benefits to having extended time on the training
pitch together, with Farke favouring plenty of tactical preparation with his
players before the season starts. The shift from a counter-pressing system to
possession-based play and a 4-2-3-1 formation in such a short time last season
speaks to his ability to transmit information clearly.
The fixtures for next season are set to be announced on
Wednesday, June 26. While Leeds might not have everything tied up in a neat bow
in terms of transfers by the time they play their opening game on that second
weekend in August (the window doesn’t close until August 30), they are sure to
be in a better place than at the same time last year.
It is too early to say whether this season is a ‘promotion
or bust’ scenario for Farke at Leeds. But this is the period where he can shape
that destiny and truly make this team his own.