Everything Daniel Farke said on Largie Ramazani, new Leeds United vice-captains and more after Augsburg win — Leeds Live 16/8/26

Read every word that Daniel Farke said when speaking to reporters following Leeds United's 4-0 win over Ausgburg

Isaac Johnson Leeds United reporter

Daniel Farke is pleased, yet not satisfied, with where his Leeds United team currently sits. The manager has enjoyed a fruitful pre-season so far but has acknowledged there are areas of improvement both on the pitch and in the transfer market.

Leeds ended their summer schedule with a dominant 4-0 win over FC Augsburg, meaning the Whites have scored 14 goals across six friendlies and only conceded five. They are also about to welcome in a fourth signing of the window with all previous three having already made their United bows.

Speaking to reporters after the match, Farke touched on the pending arrival of centre-back Nico Elvedi plus many other topics - including his feeling ahead of the new season, Largie Ramazani and the new club vice captains.

You must be pretty pleased after that win. What's your assessment?

“We can play better today. The first half there were situations when our first touch was not tidy and a bit sloppy could be a bit too negative, a bit not focused. The processes and transition moments could be quicker and a bit more awareness.

“But I told the lads after the game, I have to calm myself down a bit because it's the fifth week of pre-season. This week, especially after obviously having the long trip in the US and this week with lots of traveling to Dublin.

“We were back home, I think at 3 o'clock in the morning. The next day, we had another tactical meeting and also tactical training sessions. So I put lots of input also in the last week into it, and you could feel that perhaps I have tried my players a lot during this week, and they were not 100% sharp and fresh.

“And for that, yeah, it was understandable that we were not perfect today and not flawless. I always want us to be perfect, and during the game, sometimes I'm also a bit angry with the situations where I feel I can be even better.

“But I have to say, in the last game against a good Bundesliga side - who just travelled here in order to be highly motivated in their last test with their best team - to win this 4-0, to create even more chances, to have another clean sheet.

“So it's not too bad that overall it was definitely a good final game for us. So it feels like we’re going on a good path and we're prepared for a long season.”

James Trafford, home debut. Tarik Muharemovic second game here, an overhead kick. How good are they looking?

“Yes, both are all right, and of course, for us, we spent for both of them a reasonable amount of money. And if you do this, then you have to be convinced. It was also hard work from everyone in the club.

“Of course, you then also have to be fully convinced of a player, and we were with both. But again, we have in our head that it's first season for Tarik in English football. He's a young player.

“James hasn’t played too many games last season, and for that, I didn't expect too much in the beginning, but at the moment, you have to say the first impressions are really, really good.

“They don't just show glimpses. They show really good games so far. Perhaps not each and every detail is already spot on, but both of them have proven that they can be reinforcements for us, and can also replace big [shoes] in Pascal Struijk, who was an important player for us.

“So Tarik has great responsibility, and also Karl Darlow has played fantastic last season. So James will need to deliver in order to make sure that we are competitive again. But so far, the first signs are definitely good.”

We're hearing that a deal has been agreed for Nico Elvedi. What can you tell us about that and where that leaves Sebastian Bornauw?

“Yes, he’s not completely under us so I have to be a bit careful but I also don’t want to lie. We are pretty, pretty close that something happens I also got the information just before kickoff that something could also happen also to Sebastiaan right now.

“So for that, we then decided also to keep it quiet and let him be involved in the squad because we didn't want to have any distraction. But my decision was also to let him on the bench.

“So it looks like it's very likely that something will happen in the next hours or next 24 or 48 hours. But I'm working too long in football, so I know that everything is just sealed when medical fields are done and everything is signed.

“I just speak about new players once they're really official and not everything is settled. But I don't want to lie, so we also expect that something will happen in the next 48 hours.”

Second half today, you took the opportunity to go to a back four again, the 4-3-2-1. What were your impressions?

“Well, it's important that we stay flexible. I mentioned this also more or less in my first meeting to the players, and we have done this once or twice in the US and also today against Augsburg.

“In the three-man formation, we always wanted to bypass their pressing and even the first half was good, 3-0. We had good goals and good chances, but sometimes they blocked our build up too much and mirrored us and wanted to change us.

"And with the back four, we had a bit more calmness in our game. Of course, it didn't lead in the final third to more clear-cut chances, apart from a few situations and, of course, also a good fourth goal with a perfect pass from Ao Tanaka and ice-cold finish from Lucas [Nmecha].

“I’m happy with this. Also happy with the players who came in and influenced the game. I like that we are flexible and also difficult to predict for the opponents, so we need this during the whole season, and we feel comfortable in both systems.”

I saw you having a chat with James - I know you've always said before you like to talk to players straight after the game because the thoughts are fresh in your mind. So what were you saying to James there? To us, his passing was very good.

“Yes, that's right. But yeah, we have a few processes. The build-up, how we want to play past the opponent. I don't want to give too much away in public, but it seems like also Augsburg was quite prepared for this. So I think they have analyzed us and they avoid a few processes.

“We spoke about that, OK, if we see that the opponent reacts to ‘this’, that we don't force it too much and go more or less for Plan B and C. But we try to give him also the signs more or less during the game. But these are the details that I mentioned.

“The longer years with us, the more training sessions here and meetings, and we have the opportunity to work on this, the more it will be in his natural DNA, and especially with young players who have just joined us, you have to explain a bit more”.

We are one week out and pre-season's finished in terms of games. How are you feeling generally going into the season?

The last games of pre-season, they get more important. There are no gifts at this stage, and they have chances to be involved in the first game, definitely. But we also have good competition. Also, I liked the starting line-up against RB Leipzig, for example.

“I also liked the players who came in today and had an impression, so we need this competition and we need this from them. And yeah, I'm very happy that some of our young players have chipped in also in a really good way.

“Like Callum Mills has made a good impression. Alfie Cresswell looked sharp, but it would be a bit too much to ask them to rely on these young lads. They have to have to build physique. But I like what I see, and I want to see what [Mills] can do on this level.

"But we have to make sure that we don't rely too much on this small young shoulders, and for that, would be good if we could add a few more additions and quality additions. And we're working towards this to the end of August, and then we will see what we can do.”

Last season we saw Joe Rodon gallivanting down the right, but it seems like you've been a bit more bold with him, is that fair to say?

“Yeah, at times he looked a bit like Joe Salah, I would say! So we want to be sometimes like a hybrid team, and for that we need also a player who can be flexible in their positioning.

“And of course, he didn't play today like a typical old school centre-back in a back three, a bit differently, but this is what we need.

“We also need intelligent football players who can adapt to different demands. And Joe has shown this more or less during the whole last season, last three seasons right now, he's quite impressive.

“But the need is in all positions, so we want to be flexible during the game, and our players have to be ready to fulfil different roles during the game and in between games, you can switch and swap. And yeah, Joe definitely was excellent in the last games.”

One player we haven't seen this pre-season - and I think we could probably draw conclusions - is Largie Ramazani. Is there anything you could tell us about his situation and where he sits?

“No, so we make sure who is really in our plans for the next season and everyone who was in and is in our plans was with us during this [pre-season]. And the players who won't play a part in next season, they were not involved with the first team, of course.

“It's more like a different type of training then, because we can't just have players without a special position or a special task in the group. This would distract too much, and then there's more or less like talk in the dressing room about where do I go, or whatever.

“I just want us to stay focused. We need this, and for that, Largie was not involved in our training or with the games.

"So we'll see what the outcome in the solution in the end is. But yeah, all the players who were not involved with our group, they are also not in plans for next season”

Obviously, Pascal was vice captain. Obviously, he's gone now. Have you decided who will take up that role yet?

“Yes, we have decided to do it in the Leeds United solution, and the Leeds solution is always side before self, and this is what we do.

“We don't do it just man-orientated, we do it with a group. We have a leadership group, and I've also announced it as Jaka Bijol, Joe Rodon, Dominic Calvert-Lewin, and James Justin.

“And these four, of course, with our captain Ethan Ampadu will share more or less the load to lead the team. Ethan will wear this captain’s armband anyway and when he's not in, one of them four will wear this.

“So if you want, we have no vice captain right now. So Ampadu is captain and vice captain - or you can also speak about four vice captains.

"So we have a leadership group and I think it makes sense to put the responsibility more on different shoulders in the typical Leeds United solution. This is what we will do for the new season.”