Daniel Farke, the manager of Leeds United, bites h
is tongue and demands a private EFL conversation on the controversial issue.
The German has commented on Leeds’ fixture list throughout this year’s Championship campaign, asking for consistency in scheduling between all clubs in the interest of fairness.
Leeds’ direct promotion rivals Ipswich have gone two weeks without a game and now face three in the space of seven days to complete the 2023/24 season due to opponents Coventry City’s participation in the FA Cup.
Farke has sympathy for his opposite number Kieran McKenna and asked the question of broadcasters and the English Football League, why it is that Leeds’ games were moved to anomalous kick-offs, such as a Monday evening fixture at Middlesbrough, when few other teams have played at such times this season.
Speaking ahead of Leeds’ trip to Loftus Road this weekend, in what Farke hopes will be their penultimate run-out of 2023/24, he said: “Overall I have to say, the schedule, we’re not blessed if I’m really honest. It’s also hard to understand.
“When I think about us, we took the decision earlier when we had the cup run, that we would do play [our postponed game] against Norwich in the middle of the week when we have lots of load but we said okay, come on, we accept this additional load. We have more load than all our competitors during this moment in order to have then at least three normal weeks in the end of the season. So we paid the price there.
“Then we head into the end of the season, and what happens is we have ten days off, so not a normal set up, and they postpone our game [vs Middlesbrough] to Monday and then all of a sudden we have two away games within four days and this is something no one can explain to me why, because there was no Monday kick-off in the whole season.
“We were fully expecting, if this game would be picked for TV against Middlesbrough then we play on Friday evening and then perhaps also again Friday evening against QPR. Why it was postponed to Monday, that we have then two away games within four days and this load it affects, for example, availability for some players. Also the quick turnaround in terms of recovery.
“Why this was picked in this way, more or less the first time on the 44th and 45th gameday, why we have to play on Monday and then on Friday, it’s hard to explain.”
Farke could be without Patrick Bamford on Friday night at QPR due to a bruised knee, which was sustained in the 4-3 victory at the Riverside Stadium on Monday. Likewise, Joe Rodon took a knock to his calf on Teesside but is likely to be passed fit, while Sam Byram’s well-documented injury history means post-game recovery has been expedited in order to be available for 90 minutes again at Loftus Road.
In his press conference, the Leeds boss appeared to hold back his true feelings on the scheduling matter, while insisting his team could not use it as an excuse for poor performances, but urged decision-makers to consider the physiological disadvantage his squad are at, compared to their rivals.
“I think what happens during this season in terms of fixtures was for us, it’s hard to explain if I put it in gentle words if I’m honest.
“It’s important that behind the scenes we also speak and talk with the key people about these topics because in the sense of the football game, should be at least fair play in terms of everyone is equal and the same chances. In the sense of a football game we want more or less the best players always available and not that they miss games because the turnaround is too quick,” Farke added, calling for dialogue between clubs, leagues and broadcasters in the interest of player welfare.
