Leeds United boss Daniel Farke receives team selection backing from international manager
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has received backing for his selection decision from the international manager of a summer signing.
Jaka Bijol moved to Leeds from Serie A side Udinese with a big reputation having been on the transfer radar of both AC Milan and Inter Milan in the recent past. The centre-back is vastly experienced at both club and international level, with 65 caps and 90 appearances in the Italian top flight. When he signed, the giant defender spoke of his excitement at getting his first taste of Premier League football against Everton at Elland Road, but a one-match suspension followed him from Italian football and allowed Pascal Struijk to resume his partnership with Joe Rodon at the back. Since then the pair have barely put a foot wrong, keeping Bijol out of the team and fellow summer signing Sebastiaan Bornauw out of the squad.
When questioned about his centre-half situation last week, Farke pointed to the form of Struijk and Rodon as reason for being unable to change things so far. Bijol's predicament has become a talking point back home in Slovenia, but international boss Matjaž Kek finds no fault in Farke's decision making. He told Ekipa: "This is also about the red card from Italy, which was why he was not in the coach’s first plans. The team is starting to play well, they are not conceding goals, why would he change? Add to that an unfortunate match in the cup and things have come together like this."
Kek's advice for Bijol is to be at his sharpest but admits it may take an element of luck for the 26-year-old to begin his Premier League adventure. And from their recent personal conversation, Bijol is well aware that he has to be at his best to cut it.
“To get through here, you have to be both mentally and physically at the highest level," said Kek. "Jaka told me well three weeks ago: ‘The Premier League, this is something special, something different.’ He has to get used to it, adapt and at a certain point have a little luck too."
Bijol will be hoping to pick up minutes and boost his sharpness when Slovenia take on Kosovo and Switzerland in October’s World Cup qualifiers.