Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe has backed promotion winning manager Daniel Farke to remain in charge weeks after the club were considering a managerial change.
The Yorkshire side wrapped up the Championship title yesterday with a dramatic Manor Solomon injury-time winner against Plymouth, beating second placed Burnley on goal difference.
They will return to the Premier League next season after a two year stay in the second tier.
Despite their impressive campaign, which saw them hit 100 points, MailSport exclusively revealed that Leeds were considering replacing Farke, with Elland Road bosses harbouring reservations that the former Norwich City boss could ensure top-flight survival.
But Leeds chairman Marathe today appeared to end speculation over Farke’s future, confirming the German is ‘my man’.
Leeds United chairman Paraag Marathe has backed promotion winning manager Daniel Farke
Leeds wrapped up the Championship title after beating Plymouth to pip second placed Burnley
Leeds were considering sacking Daniel Farke despite their Premier League promotion
‘I’m very excited to run it back with Daniel and collaborate with him,’ Marathe told BBC Radio Leeds.
‘I’m under no illusions that it is going to be easy. The past two seasons the three promoted teams came straight back down but we have something they don’t have, we have Daniel Farke first of all.’
Asked if he had question marks over the 48-year-old, Marathe said : ‘I have ended the speculation. He is my man.’
The German boss has now won three Championship titles, including twice with Norwich.
However, his Premier League performances in East Anglia were underwhelming and were known to have triggered some thought among the Yorkshire club’s US-based owners, 49ers Enterprises.
In his first top-flight season the Canaries finished bottom with 21 points, 14 from safety, and he was sacked in the early November of his second, with his side on five points after 11 matches.
Marathe previously said Farke was not provided with adequate financial backing to compete in the Premier League and that next season would be different.
‘Together we are going to build the best squad we can, with every penny we are allowed to spend to be competitive in the Premier League,’ he said.
‘We are going to attack the transfer market and it’s something I’m really excited about.’
Leeds chief examined other candidates but were aware that sacking Farke would be a controversial move and could backfire.
Leeds won the Championship in 2020 to return to the Premier League for the first time in 16 years, where they remained for three campaigns.
They lifted the title yesterday after a fifth succesive league win, having only won a single match of their previous six.
Marathe praised Farke for guiding the club back to the Premier League.
‘He is such a calming force – presence would be an understatement,’ Marathe said.
‘He really has a superpower that way. He told you all he was 100% confident we were going to the Prem after the draw with Swansea, and he believed it and I love him for it.
‘He has that conviction and belief and I told him privately that I was looking forward to moving forward together, but I didn’t feel like it was my time to speak because someone wanted to put out a rumour.’
