'Given up hope' - Leeds United boss Daniel Farke responds to latest Sky and ITV fixture change amid fan fury
Daniel Farke was pressed on yet more TV game fixture changes at his pre-Watford press conference.
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has 'given up hope' of a fixture list that shows common sense but admits TV money makes it difficult to complain about.
The Whites' game at Portsmouth next month has been moved to a Sunday at noon, making rail travel nigh on impossible and necessitating departures in the early hours.
When the latest broadcast deal between the EFL and Sky was struck much was made of the increased notice fans would be given when it came to fixture changes for live broadcast, but as the season nears the business end the EFL have confirmed that future broadcast selections will now be made on a weekly basis for the rest of the season, five weeks ahead.
The YEP understands that each set of chosen fixtures will be confirmed on a Thursday by the EFL.
Farke says fans should be at the heart of decisions taken when it comes to scheduling.
"First of all I always hope the fixture schedule is positive for our supporters, it's a supporters game and you give them the opportunity in terms of travel times to make it for the games," he said.
"If you’re just thinking about TV and not the supporters who attend the stadium you will one day lose the love of our fanbase. I think this is a quite important topic. This is my first worry."
Farke was unhappy with Leeds' schedule over the past week with a Wednesday night game at Coventry City followed by Saturday's 12.15pm FA Cup clash with Millwall.
Leeds now travel to Watford for a Tuesday night Championship outing.
"To have the fixture list that it's also right in terms of fair play and the sense of the game," he said.
"Sometimes you're struggling a bit to understand why the fixture list is how it is because when I have a look on this week it's difficult to understand why you have to play Wednesday evening, a late kick-off and then the quickest possible turnaround to play Saturday lunchtime.
“In terms of fair play, it's not great because we faced a side with one week to prepare. The next game is then scheduled on the Tuesday. Wednesday would also be possible, keeping in mind the next game is Monday. Sometimes it's hard to understand in terms of fair play.
“When you judge it just with common sense, all the supporters want the best players on the pitch and recovered, they want to see a proper product, proper football quality.
“If you're just back in the early hours of Thursday morning and play Saturday, you have to have more changes and rotate.
“Sometimes it's not great for fair play and the sense of the game. Sometimes it makes no sense. Sometimes it does you a favour, the feeling since I worked for this club is that it's the other way round."
One of the counter arguments to complaints made this season by Farke and his Sheffield United counterpart Chris Wilder is that the clubs are benefitting financially from TV money.
Farke recognises that but would still like common sense to prevail more often.
"I'm struggling to moan, the broadcasters who choose the fixture list - it's good so many people want to see Leeds United live on the tele," he said.
"I'm struggling to complain, we all get the profits of TV money. The players and everyone connected in football gets the rewards in terms of salary.
“But sometimes you find it really difficult to understand why it's chosen exactly in this way.
"I've given up hope that we can do the fixture list with common sense. We have to adapt and find some solutions to do it in a smart way and have the best possible outcome. To claim it's unfair doesn't help you, the best way is probably not to speak too much about it and address the topic behind the scenes to the key people making decisions."