Daniel Farke suggests key players were 'distracted' last season as Leeds United form concerns addressed — YEP 20/9/24
By Kyle Newbould
Leeds United fell away at the end of last season and have
struggled to build early momentum since returning.
Daniel Farke has suggested key Leeds United players were
‘distracted’ during last season’s Championship promotion run-in as early
transfer offers cropped up.
Leeds stumbled over the line to eventually finish third last
season, having won just two of their final eight regular-season games after
going top during the March international break. A drop in the form of key
players was central to that dismal run, with Georginio Rutter failing to
register a single goal or assist while Crysencio Summerville was unable to
continue producing the goods when it mattered most.
It was learned this summer that the aforementioned pair,
plus Archie Gray, had release clauses in their contracts and all three
eventually joined Premier League clubs while Glen Kamara moved up to the
top-flight in France with Stade Rennais. And reflecting on last season’s
failings ahead of Saturday’s trip to Cardiff City, Farke suggested incoming
offers did pull focus away from some players.
“We had, sadly, in the last season, many players perhaps
even thinking ‘Okay, what happens if?’ It was difficult,” Farke admitted on
Thursday. “We had a completely different group. There were also offers for some
of our players and, of course, they were also a bit distracted. Key players
were injured.
“It would have been a different scenario if Patrick Bamford,
after he had many, many goals in the second half of the season, if you would
have had him for the final stages and also for the play-offs, really fit and
in-form and in his rhythm. Right now, we have a completely different group.”
After a busy summer with several ins and outs, Leeds have
endured a mixed start to the season and while the optimist would point to
Saturday’s defeat being the first of the campaign, Farke can now boast just
four wins from his past 14 games in charge. But the German offered a stern
response when that statistic was put to him.
“No [it’s not fair to link the two], because it has nothing
to do with it, because it was a completely different scenario and situation,”
he said. “Last season is more or less like we were chasing. When you head into,
for example, the last home game against Southampton and you know Ipswich [Town]
needs, against an already relegated side, at home, just one point, you know
it's not likely and then you take risks that you normally would never take.
“Our key players in key positions are gone,” he said. “Cree
is gone, Georgi is gone, Glen is gone, Archie is gone and several other
players. Daniel James, at the moment, not available. Patrick, not available.
It's a completely different group. What we're doing right now, during this
season, has nothing to do with what happened last season. For that, we also
can't be proud of 90 points last season, because it's a different group.”