Just when Daniel Farke thinks he’s beginning to get things straight at Leeds United, he’s hit with another potential hammer blow.
The German must be wondering what he signed up to at Elland Road because there doesn’t seem to have been a minute since he joined the club in pre-season where there hasn’t been some element of drama.
Last weekend’s victory over Millwall was a sign of what the all whites are capable of when they hit their sweet spot, and a hard-fought 0-0 draw against Hull City helped keep them just three points behind Sunderland in fourth position.
That game was notable for Joe Rodon’s sending off on the hour, but more worryingly, an injury to Willy Gnonto which could keep him out until the new year.
“It’s bad news as he has done the lateral ankle ligaments,” Farke said in his pre-match press conference for this weekend’s game against Watford (h/t MOT Leeds News).
“We await the assessment this afternoon to see how long he will be out, but he definitely will not be available for tomorrow.”
Given that it’s expected Gnonto will leave the club in January, there appear to be genuine fears that he’s already played his final game for the club.
That he’d played at all for them this season is testament to the strong tone that Farke and the board took over Gnonto’s demands to leave and subsequent strike action.
Knowing that he had to stay at Leeds until at least January had seen the player turn in some decent performances, but now Farke will be shorn of those too.