Leeds United boss Daniel Farke highlights key benefit of international break despite lengthy absentee list
Leeds United boss Daniel Farke has discussed the way in which he can utilise the international break
Leeds United manager Daniel Farke is hoping to use the international break to pay closer attention to individuals within his ranks.
A raft of players are departing the Leeds camp to link up with their respective nations, with Tarik Muharemović, Ethan Ampadu and Dominic Calvert-Lewin among those jetting off.
They will be gone for longer too, with the break lasting two weeks as opposed to the usual one as part of FIFA's reconfigured calendar.
Tactical team work will have to take a back seat due to the large number of absences, but Farke will be able to offer more of himself to those sticking around at Thorp Arch.
Longer international break
“We try to find a good balance out of recovery and finding new energy after a very busy start,” he told The Yorkshire Post. “On the other hand, we work with a small group and also a bit on details that you normally don't have time to.
“You can put a bit more attention also on the individual player, where [sometimes] you don't have too much time and you work more on the tactical behaviour. We take it like it is and we try to adapt and find some good solutions.
“I've learnt to adapt to it and it's also a bit too early to judge if I prefer this schedule or shorter international breaks. Also for me, it is the first time that this kind of looks like this. I adapt to it.”
Benefits for players away from the spotlight
Among the beneficiaries of the break could be deadline day signing Melvin Bard, who has had litle time to acclimatise to life in the Premier League. Fellow new recruit Jean-Mattéo Bahoya, however, has been called up by France Under-21s.
“We have a very small group just together,” Farke said. “You rarely have enough players to work [as a] team tactically and also the core bones and the key players are away.
“Yes, very often also during the international break, you have players who are not that much in the spotlight also in the weeks before, so you can put a bit more attention to them.
“This is quite important, but team tactically, it's really, really difficult to work and you just like to improve them on the individual level. It's more or less a task for the upcoming few weeks.”
Farke will not welcome his international cohort back until early next month ahead of his side’s trip to Arsenal on October 10.