Daniel Farke proved several people wrong when West Ham’s 1-0 defeat against Arsenal on Sunday confirmed Leeds United’s survival in the Premier League this season.
Leeds have confirmed survival with three games to spare, something very few people predicted at the start of the ongoing Premier League season.
The Whites were one of the favourites to go down, partly because of the record of promoted teams in recent years and partly because of Farke’s record in the English top flight.
There were calls for Leeds to replace Farke once they achieved promotion last year. However, Paul Merson was questioning the German’s credibility when Leeds appointed him manager in 2023.
Daniel Farke proves Paul Merson wrong
When Leeds appointed Daniel Farke as manager in 2023, it was widely seen as a smart move given his strong track record of winning promotion from the Championship.
However, Merson was having none of that and questioned Leeds’ decision to bring him in, given his record at Norwich City, where he lost 27 games on the bounce.
He insisted that Farke was really fortunate to get his hands on one of the biggest clubs in England following his harrowing record at Carrow Road.
When Farke was appointed Leeds manager, Merson said on Sky Sports: “His agent should have got knighted; how did he get that job?
“He lost 27 games on the trot at Norwich.
“I know he got them out before, but this league is a lot harder, and at Norwich, they couldn’t help but get into the playoffs, and they didn’t get in the playoffs.
“I think he is very fortunate. They are one of the biggest clubs, and he has got that job.”
The 49ers deserve credit
It is easy to forget that several Leeds supporters were unsure about Farke last year, despite a record-breaking Championship campaign.
His Premier League record with Norwich City was regularly highlighted to underline the importance of Leeds bringing in a new manager to replace the German.
However, the 49ers stuck with the manager despite all the noise and backed him in the first few months of the season when things were not looking bright for Leeds.
It would have been easy for the owners to sack Farke around November, when Leeds looked destined for relegation. However, they believed in Farke to turn things around.
The German did exactly that, and with three games to spare, Leeds can safely plan for another season in the Premier League.
