Leeds United Daniel Farke job report prompts response from Sheffield United rival Chris Wilder

But that said, nothing would surprise the Sheffield United manager, who believes Farke has more pressure to deal with at Elland Road than than most of their peers.

A report in the Daily Mail on Wednesday, less than 48 hours after Farke had led the Whites back to the Premier League, cast doubt on his future at the club and suggested owners 49ers Enterprises were considering replacing him. The report also said that they might not decide to sack the German.

49ers’ initial Farke stance

Leeds still have two games left to play this season and a Championship title to play for. Two wins, over Bristol City at home and Plymouth Argyle away, would secure top spot regardless of what Burnley do in their final pair of fixtures. Were Leeds to finish top it would be Farke's third Championship title. He won it twice before with Norwich City before struggling for results in the Premier League. But when Leeds appointed the German the hierarchy made clear their belief that Farke had not been adequately resourced for the top flight while at Carrow Road and they intended to back him with the necessary finance if he masterminded a promotion.

The timing of the report and the content comes as no shock to Wilder, who says football has changed and not necessarily for the better. "I get it," said the Blades boss. "It has changed, the game, on a lot of fronts. We talked about expectations and everything. I think we all understand the negative part of the job. I had a half-hour conversation with Dan and enjoyed it. He's a good guy, and it’s a great achievement by him."

Wilder says being manager of Leeds United will put Farke under more pressure than his counterparts at other clubs but would still count it as a 'ridiculous' idea if Elland Road chiefs decided change was necessary in the dugout after promotion.

“That isn’t a straightforward football club, it's got loads of things going for it but there is pressure on all of us, at different levels," said Wilder. "I should imagine he has the most to deal with. The good things that come with it are offset by other parts of it. To football people, that's a ridiculous idea, or approach or decision, to football people internally. But maybe externally these are things that do happen and everyone has to deal with it and understand it.”

Wilder and Farke phone call

Wilder and Farke spoke this week after their respective results on Easter Monday sent the Whites up and consigned Sheffield United to the play-offs. There was also a phone call between Patrick Bamford and the Blades boss, who was the subject of a chant started by the Leeds striker during the Elland Road promotion celebrations. Wilder insisted he was 'cool with it' and appreciated the call from Bamford, even if he questioned the language used in the chant.

READ: Wilder responds to Bamford chant and phone call