West Bromwich Albion v Leeds United: Under-pressure Daniel Farke has to earn his money as he fights on all fronts

A busy working day was barely halfway through and there will be plenty more between now and August 31, when the Whites host Hull City in a Yorkshire derby 16 hours after the transfer window shuts.

Whatever else said about the Leeds manager – and plenty are having their two penn'orth – no one can accuse him of not working hard enough. Right now, though, his club need a bit more than graft from him. As the grumbles start to rumble, he needs that too.When you are winning, the Saturday-Tuesday (or whatever day Sky want you to play-whatever other day Sky want you to play) grind is no grind at all but things have been tough since May's play-off final defeat to Southampton. What makes it worse is so much is self-inflicted.

Farke is getting plenty of heat for his part in a start to the season which has seen six goals conceded, two home points dropped to promoted Portsmouth and a big League Cup defeat to Middlesbrough.

Do not get the violins out, though – he does not want to hear it.

A bad week is no more than that, but we were promised in May by chairman Paraag Marathe it would not be like this. Yes, there would be financial fair play (FFP) issues but none of the disruption of last summer's transfer of power in the boardroom and dugout, so Leeds would hit 2024-25 running.

Not that the problems started seven days ago or even this summer. Some of the off-field tactical errors pre-date relegation to the Championship, some on it were evident in last season's run-in. Rather than being fixed, they have been added to, especially defensively.

When Red Bull's sponsorship money poured in and Tottenham Hotspur's too, in return for crown jewel Archie Gray, that seemed to be the FFP box ticked, only for what Farke calls "the sins of the past" to resurface as Georginio Rutter and Crysencio Summerville's release clauses were activated. Glen Kamara was sold too, for a big profit.

Jayden Bogle has come in but got off to an inauspicious start, Joe Rodon technically did too but was on loan last season, Joe Rothwell is only on loan now and was only a sub last week, Alex Cairns a free transfer whose job is to back up the back-up goalkeeper. Red Bull will be easier for fans to stomach when they feel a financial caffeine rush.

Farke does not just need wing(er)s, but defenders, midfielders and as soon as Rutter's sale to Brighton and Hove Albion is signed off a No 10. Most of all he needs a rousing Saturday win at Carlos Corberan's West Bromwich Albion, whose own summer was expectedly turbulent, but who emerged with a thumping win and a Josh Maja hat-trick.

Farke needs to be working hard and focusing on all those things, just not at once. It is why the urgent search for reinforcements has been left to the recruitment department since Thursday evening.

"It's busy days but I don't complain," he reflects. "I'm the manager of Leeds United. Perhaps after the Pope it's the second best job in the world. I'm in a privileged position and I still love to work."

Unless or until the Vatican find some secret release clause, it is a job Farke is determined to see through.

"On Wednesday I was at home at 12.30am after the game, I watched the game back, I was in bed at three o'clock, up at 7.30 to watch the last scenes to prepare our meeting on Thursday morning," he says. "We analysed the game in the morning, showed scenes of what went wrong in the second half, then I went out to train with players who need a bit more training – recovery sessions for the others; we had a few talks and I had to hurry so I was not late for the (2.30pm) press conference.

"Afterwards I'll go into the next recruitment meeting then from five o'clock I can concentrate on West Brom. It will be a long night and I don't think we'll finish before 10pm.

“I love my job so it's not like I count the hours, I'm not crying for sympathy when there are a few days with not that much sleep.

"I have to make sure we analyse the last game in a proper way, that the players are perfectly focused on West Brom and we also have to make sure we make some proper decisions for the club.

"There's a moment where you have to earn your money and this is what I'm trying to do."

On Saturday at the Hawthorns, Farke really does need to earn his money. Otherwise he might need something stronger on his desk next week.