Daniel Farke, the Leeds manager, is probably feeling like he's up to his neck in muck after a change in wind direction among his own fans. Football management is a precarious job, with managers often facing criticism from supporters who buy season tickets and spend their hard-earned cash watching and travelling home and away.
Farke was lauded last season for gaining promotion from the Championship, and for the way he did it too. Leeds had the players who, at that level, played expansive and winning football, and Farke's philosophy and all-round demeanour won him many fans. However, things have gone very differently in the Premier League.
Up until last weekend's defeat by Aston Villa, Farke was fulfilling his self-stated remit of collecting 38 points, or a point per game, which had proven enough to retain top-flight status every season since 2011-12. But after that defeat, he has suffered a change in wind direction among his own fans.
This season, Farke's win ratio in the Championship with Norwich was 55%, but in the Premier League with Leeds it drops to just 15%. Despite having appointed Adam Underwood as director of football and investing £100m on new players over the summer, Farke is facing a tough task to turn the tide of opinion in his favour.
One of my biggest frustrations with all aspects of life, including football management, is how it has become commonplace for organisations and politicians to drop out feelers on certain initiatives, only to study the public reaction before deciding whether to proceed. Football managers should not be swayed by public opinion, so I was pleased to see Farke stick with Brenden Aaronson against Villa, when many Leeds supporters had made it clear they didn't believe he should be in the team.
Winning hides a multitude of sins, and that's certainly been the case here. If Leeds had lost the game against Villa, David Moyes' comments would have sounded very different. However, as it was, Farke's side came away with a point, which is just what they needed to stay in the top flight.
As for Farke himself, I wish him all the best. He's a good man and Leeds are a great club with fantastic support. It's time for them to get back on track and start winning games quickly. With any statistic, you need some context, but with Farke's team selection and individual player choice under scrutiny, he must stand or fall on his own decisions.
Farke was lauded last season for gaining promotion from the Championship, and for the way he did it too. Leeds had the players who, at that level, played expansive and winning football, and Farke's philosophy and all-round demeanour won him many fans. However, things have gone very differently in the Premier League.
Up until last weekend's defeat by Aston Villa, Farke was fulfilling his self-stated remit of collecting 38 points, or a point per game, which had proven enough to retain top-flight status every season since 2011-12. But after that defeat, he has suffered a change in wind direction among his own fans.
This season, Farke's win ratio in the Championship with Norwich was 55%, but in the Premier League with Leeds it drops to just 15%. Despite having appointed Adam Underwood as director of football and investing £100m on new players over the summer, Farke is facing a tough task to turn the tide of opinion in his favour.
One of my biggest frustrations with all aspects of life, including football management, is how it has become commonplace for organisations and politicians to drop out feelers on certain initiatives, only to study the public reaction before deciding whether to proceed. Football managers should not be swayed by public opinion, so I was pleased to see Farke stick with Brenden Aaronson against Villa, when many Leeds supporters had made it clear they didn't believe he should be in the team.
Winning hides a multitude of sins, and that's certainly been the case here. If Leeds had lost the game against Villa, David Moyes' comments would have sounded very different. However, as it was, Farke's side came away with a point, which is just what they needed to stay in the top flight.
As for Farke himself, I wish him all the best. He's a good man and Leeds are a great club with fantastic support. It's time for them to get back on track and start winning games quickly. With any statistic, you need some context, but with Farke's team selection and individual player choice under scrutiny, he must stand or fall on his own decisions.
... Like, can't we just have one season where our favourite managers aren't being torn apart by fans? It's not like they're perfect, but do they really deserve all that criticism? I mean, Farke was doing a great job in the Championship, and then he goes to the Premier League and suddenly everyone's having him out for his jocks 
... And it's just so frustrating because we know that winning games is what keeps those jobs. It's not like he can just sit back and collect his salary 
. I get it, fans have a right to be disappointed if things aren't going well, but sometimes a bit of understanding would be nice?
so i think farke is still gonna be alright in the end 
he had a tough season last time around but he brought in new players and staff to help improve the squad 
now he just needs to get some results 
it's not easy being a manager, especially when everyone's got an opinion 
but i think farke knows his stuff and will make the right calls 
️ as long as leeds keep their top six hopes alive, farke'll be golden 
I feel bad for Daniel Farke, the Leeds manager... 
But now, things are not going as planned in the Premier League... 
The win ratio is so different compared to his time at Norwich... 
55% vs 15%. I think what's hurting him is that some fans started questioning his decisions after losing to Aston Villa... 
But, you know what? 
And let's be real, winning is everything... 
Even if it hides some problems, which I'm sure there are! 
i mean come on, £100m on new players shouldn't be enough to turn the season around overnight 
it's all about trust i think, like if you're gonna stick with your manager through thick & thin, they should know how to handle the pressure 
. i think he should stick to his game plan and not change it just cuz some fans are salty. and btw, £100m on new players sounds crazy expensive 
️. Leeds are still learning how to navigate this new league and Farke's not getting any younger 
. personally, i think he should stick to his guns and make the tough decisions, even if it means not getting the most popular team selection.
How can a manager who was getting away with 38 points last season suddenly have so much pressure from fans? 
. On one hand, the guy's doin' alright in terms of keepin' Leeds up in the Premier League, but then again, that win ratio of 15%? That's like, woah 
, sounds like a classic case of mob mentality to me. if fans are gonna trash someone for a game they lost, they probably would've done the same thing 2 seasons ago when he was doing just as well... meanwhile, Moyes is already getting heat for losing a game he shouldn't have 
. They can't keep relying on luck points 
. So yeah, let's give the guy some credit for making smart decisions 
his fans r goin crazy after that defeat by Aston Villa 
farke deserves some slack but at the same time, hes gotta prove himself by makin decisions on his own