Sports
49ers set to explore hiring 3-4-2-1 Farke replacement at Leeds
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is facing a potentially defining week in his career at the club ahead of Premier League clashes with Chelsea and Liverpool at Elland Road.
The Guardian reported on Monday that Farke’s job may be on the line in these next two matches, because senior figures at the club believe that two losses could lead to his dismissal.
It added that his position in West Yorkshire could be ‘untenable’ if he does not pick up at least one point, as the report states that his job hangs ‘in the balance’.
The Guardian, though, also revealed that some sources have expressed sympathy for the German manager because the results have not been as positive as the performances have been.
Leeds exploring move for English head coach
Whilst a final decision has not been made on the former Norwich City head coach’s future at the club, a fresh report has named one of the managers already in the frame to take his place.
According to Football Insider, Leeds United are exploring the possibility of a move to appoint former Wolverhampton Wanderers boss Gary O’Neil as Farke’s replacement at Elland Road.
The report claims that the English tactician is ‘firmly’ in the running to be the next Whites manager if they decide to part ways with the German this week.
It adds that Farke will be in the dugout for the clash with Chelsea on Wednesday night, as the earlier report from The Guardian backs up, but his future beyond these next two games remains in doubt.
However, the 49ers should change their mind and avoid a deal to appoint O’Neil as their next manager if they opt to move on from Farke, because he could be a Javi Gracia repeat for the club.
Why Gary O’Neil could be a Javi Gracia repeat for Leeds
The Whites appointed Gracia to replace Jesse Marsch in February 2022 in an attempt to avoid relegation from the Premier League, and it seemed to be a shrewd move on paper.
Prior to joining Leeds, the Spaniard had finished 14th and 11th in the Premier League with Watford in his first two seasons with the Hornets, per Transfermarkt, before losing his job after three defeats in four games at the start of his third campaign.
He, therefore, arrived as a ‘proven’ Premier League manager, but that did not stop him from losing six of his 11 games in charge before being sacked by the Whites, who then brought in Sam Allardyce.
O’Neil would arrive at Elland Road with a similar reputation because he finished 15th and 14th with Bournemouth and Wolves in his first two seasons in the division, before being sacked after a run of 11 losses in 16 games in his third top-flight campaign, per Transfermarkt.
The English boss, who typically deploys a 3-4-2-1 formation, per Transfermarkt, lost his job with the Old Gold for a run of form that was even worse than Farke’s current performance at Leeds.
|
Premier League |
Farke – 25/26 |
O’Neil – 24/25 |
|---|---|---|
|
Games managed |
13 |
16 |
|
Wins |
3 |
2 |
|
Draws |
2 |
3 |
|
Losses |
8 |
11 |
|
Points |
11 |
9 |
|
Points per game |
0.85 |
0.56 |
|
League position |
18th |
19th |
|
Stats via Transfermarkt |
||
As you can see in the table above, Farke would still have a better record than O’Neil did last season if he loses these next two games against Chelsea and Liverpool.
These statistics suggest that there is no guarantee that the ex-Wolves manager would be an upgrade on the German in the dugout, as Gracia wasn’t, despite his Premier League experience, when they sacked Marsch in 2022.
With this in mind, the 49ers should avoid moving for the out-of-work head coach if they decide to sack Farke, because it could be a repeat of the mistake that former sporting director Victor Orta once made with Gracia.
Instead, they should look to appoint a manager who is a clear upgrade on the German boss, whether they have Premier League experience or not, to help them in their battle against relegation.
Leeds lining up January spending spree for “phenomenal” Farke replacement
Daniel Farke will reportedly be sacked if Leeds lose their next two matches.
Of course, it would be remiss of us to ignore the possibility that Farke can turn things around in these next two games to save his job, which would alleviate any need for the board to step in and make a decision on a replacement for him in the coming weeks.
