Leeds United: Balancing Youth and Experience Ahead of Key Match
With the fixture against Coventry City on the horizon, head coach of Leeds United, Daniel Farke, is in a positive mood given the return of such experienced players as Patrick Bamford. Manor Solomon, and Daniel James. Last weekend, Farke put out a very young front four that was aged an average of 21 years, and he is thrilled about the potential in the young attackers, but knows that adult heads will be important for the progress of the team as the tournament goes on.
Bamford, who is already 31 years of age, is not the only one who adds to the essence of team, as so does 26-year old James and 25-year old Solomon. It is indicative of how young the squad is that these players are labelled as the old ones. There has been emphasis from Farke on the need for these ice cubes to be allowed some time to rub up with their colleagues. “We cannot be expected to go full throttle from the first minute,” he said. “We have suffered the loss of very important persons who play a big role in our methods of attack; When things are moved around the house, there is a need for each and every person to adjust.”
He especially pays attention when it comes to them and other young players such as Mateo Joseph and Largie Ramazani. Joseph, 20, a player still in his early stages of the football career, has only recently been able to boast of being a starter in any senior team, while Ramazani is also just getting accustomed to playing competitive football in England. “It is understandable that there will be a settling in period for them,” Farke added. “They have to learn how to read each other and their styles of play. This is not achieved within a day.”
Farke knows that these players as well as Brenden Aaronson and Willy Gnonto, are still in the process of acclimatization. Aaronson is still grappling with the aftermath of a challenging stint at Leeds and trying to adjust while Gnonto is still new to a different level of competition. With Bamford and the other players on the way to returning, Farke is optimistic that their presence will not only help to steady the ship but will also aid in the development of the younger players. There are great prospects ahead; however, at this stage, it is all about understanding and tolerance.
