Daniel Farke has claimed that he would have been delighted in September if anyone told him that Leeds United were safely into the Championship playoffs ahead of the final game of the season.
Leeds’ chances of automatic promotion are hanging by a thread ahead of their final game of the regular season on Saturday.
The Whites need to win and hope that Huddersfield pull off a shock victory against Ipswich Town at Portman Road.
Leeds are safe in the knowledge that at a minimum they will finish third and feature in the playoffs regardless of the results on Saturday and Farke conceded that he would have taken it happily at the start of the season.
The German claimed that the situation inside Leeds was worse than he previously anticipated when he arrived at Elland Road and finishing third would have been considered a massive success last year.
The Leeds manager said in a press conference: “Once I came in then I knew all the details and if I am allowed to be honest, it was worse than I thought when I signed the contract.
“We don’t have to speak about the beginning of the season with all the outgoings and contract situations.
“If after ten games in September and the transfer window closed, you would have told me that we would be there after 45 games safe in the playoffs, would definitely finish no worse than third in the league and still have a theoretical chance in the last game to make a push into the top two, I would have said to you that I would be a really happy man if this happens.
“It sounds like a dream and I am not sure we can deliver like this but this would have been my feeling in September.”
Leeds’ form has declined towards the end of the season and they will hope to finish it well with a win ahead of potential playoffs.
