'They won't be' - Mick McCarthy makes claim over Daniel Farke's possible successor at Leeds United

Former Sunderland and Republic of Ireland manager Mick McCarthy believes Daniel Farke should be handed further time to turn around Leeds United’s fortunes - but insisted results must be the priority as the Whites battle to preserve their Premier League status.

Questions over Farke’s long-term future at Elland Road were raised throughout the summer despite the former Norwich City boss leading his side back into the Premier League with a dramatic Championship title win. After claiming a narrow home win against Everton on the opening night of the new season, Leeds have struggled to find consistency and slipped into the relegation zone ahead of Sunday’s 2-1 defeat against in-form Aston Villa.

Despite taking the lead with a goal from summer signing Lukas Nmecha, the Whites were left empty-handed as a Morgan Rogers brace condemned them to a fifth defeat in their last six games and sent them into a run of games consisting of meetings with Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool on a negative. McCarthy believes Farke’s side produced a good display against Villa but warned it is results rather than performances that will decide the German’s future at Elland Road.

“A run of defeats, it doesn’t matter how well you’ve played, it’s the results,” he told ‘The Managers’ Podcast. “It’s looking tough for him. Their next three matches, Manchester City, Chelsea and Liverpool. How many games have they played, 12 isn’t it? 12 games ago, he is a hero, he was their hero, he got them promoted. Being a Leeds fan as a kid, being a Yorkshireman, we’d have been whinging a lot before. There was no question about that. But they started well and the performance they had against Villa, I hope it gives him a chance to get it going because it was a good performance - but as we all know, performances and results are completely different.

Blame

Several managers have been suggested as possible successors to Farke should the Elland Road hierarchy opt to make a change in the dugout. However, McCarthy has stressed the daunting nature of the Whites next three games may well mean any willing suitors to take over at Elland Road will bide their time.

He said: “I’ve seen it sometimes when a manager is going to get a job and it’s against the toughest opposition. Of course, they don’t sit in the dugout or stand on the track, they can’t take it over because something is bothering them. They can’t take it over because they think they are going to get slapped and they don’t want a defeat. I can’t blame them because I’ve never done it. They won’t be queuing up to take it with Man City, Chelsea and Liverpool. I wish him (Farke) the very best of luck because he’s a good guy.”

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