Leeds United boss Daniel Farke on 'game too far' and responsibility to build on 14th place finish — YEP 24/5/26
By Graham Smyth
Reaction from Leeds United boss Daniel Farke to the final
day 3-0 defeat at West Ham.
Leeds United's season finished in uncharacteristic fashion
as a sloppy performance was punished by West Ham United, who were relegated
regardless.
On the hottest day of the year Leeds' second half
performance was sleepy and errors in and out of possession cost them at London
Stadium. The Hammers' 3-0 win was not enough to keep them in the Premier League
due to Spurs' victory over Everton, while Leeds finished 14th.
Farke went into the game without the likes of Anton Stach
and Noah Okafor, but was able to welcome back Pascal Struijk and Jayden Bogle
from injury. And even if it was largely meaningless contest for an already-safe
Leeds, Farke was disappointed in particular with the second half.
"We wanted to finish a fantastic season with a better
result," he said.
"It was probably one game too many without too many key
players. In recent weeks we've always somehow found solutions to grind out a
result but not today.
“We had good situations in the first half to go into the
lead or put it to bed. Second half not focused and concentrated, sloppy
mistakes in possession.
“In possession we were by far not at our best today, you
could feel with several key players missing or players like Dominic missing
many sessions with minor issues. I would have wished for a better final game,
it doesn't change anything about a fantastic season."
Farke said the changing room's collective disappointment at
finishing the season with a defeat, one that ended an eight-game unbeaten run,
was exactly the attitude he wanted put in an hour they would look back with
pride on this season.
"I want this attitude, I don't like this old school
attitude that you've achieved your goals and make sure no one gets injured
before their holidays," he said.
"You should be close to crying when you lose a training
game. This is how you survive. This is the mentality and culture. If anyone
would be not disappointed he wouldn't be the right player for Leeds.
“You have a great responsibility putting this shirt on to
represent the club in the best way. We will travel back home and once the
disappointment has settled in about an hour look back on a fantastic season and
be proud of what we've achieved."
Talks have already begun between Farke and the board to plan
for a second season of top flight football and he says they all bear a
responsibility to take the club forward from the foundations they have created.
"It's always important that you use a very successful
first season back to build on it and make sure you keep your best players and
improve the squad," he said.
"Once the rhythm of promotion is away it's difficult,
we've seen it with ourselves and other teams in recent years. This season has
cost so much energy, just happy we can go home and recharge a little bit.
Everyone needs some downtime and then with fresh energy to build again.
“Everyone connected with Leeds can look to a bright future,
the foundations are there. We've finished in 14th, unbeaten runs of seven,
eight. FA Cup run in addition. Couldn't be much better. But it's the
responsibility of all of us to build on it."
