'Would be nice' - Title-winning manager breaks silence on Leeds United links after 'initial soundings'
The former Rangers boss is one of three names to have been linked with the Leeds United job.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst is keen to get back into management but insists there is ‘nothing going on’ amid recent links to Leeds United.
Van Bronckhorst was one of three potential candidates named by The Guardian in a report surrounding current manager Daniel Farke’s future. The national newspaper claimed on Monday that Whites chairman Paraag Marathe was due in Leeds for crunch talks with the German, who could win the Championship title with 100 points at Plymouth Argyle this weekend having already secured his side’s return to the Premier League.
Marathe was at Elland Road on Monday night as Leeds thumped play-off hopefuls Bristol City 4-0 to return to the top of the Championship, with the 49ers Enterprises chief yet to comment on speculation surrounding Farke. He declined an offer from Sky Sports to take part in an interview that night.
The Guardian echoed other recent reports from other national outlets regarding Farke’s future, this time going one further by claiming Van Bronckhorst, Roger Schmidt and Davide Ancelotti - son of and assistant to Real Madrid boss Carlo - had been ‘sounded out’. The former was on Champions League punditry duty for Dutch TV last night as his former side Barcelona drew 3-3 against Inter Milan, where he was quizzed on the links.
Giovanni van Bronckhorst addresses Leeds United links
“Yes, I read about it,” he said. “But there's nothing going on at the moment. Are Leeds a nice club? Definitely. I am enjoying life now, but I think it would be nice to be back on the pitch."
Van Bronckhorst has been out of work since a disappointing five-month stint at Turkish outfit Besiktas ended in November last year. The 50-year-old, who won league titles in Scotland, England and Spain as a player, enjoyed some success as Rangers boss, where he won the Scottish Cup and guided his side to the Europa League semi-finals in 2022. He also won the Eredivisie title as Feyenoord manager in 2017.
Farke will have the chance to claim Championship title number three this weekend as speculation over his future intensifies, but the Leeds boss has remained characteristically level-headed throughout. The German said last week questions over his job were for the board to answer but shrugged off the rumours as focus remains on winning the league.
“I knew exactly for which club I signed,” he said last week. “Normally, it’s a good effort if you last three months at this club. Once you sign for this club, you know from this moment there’s lots of pressure and expectation. On a weekly basis, someone is linked with following in your footsteps. It’s nothing new, what I wouldn’t expect. This club is so emotional and big. Journalists from all over the country, have never spoken to one person here, they want to write about Leeds. Sometimes you have to bring some shock news.
“The problem is if you’re in charge of this club and you’re distracted, suffer or lose concentration, then you can’t lead this club. To handle the pressure and expectation and rumours and gossip is not easy but I’m fully aware this happens when you work for this club. We have achieved great things already. We also still 100 per cent concentrate and focus on winning the title if somehow possible.”
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