Leeds United

View: Leeds United need to hijack Sunderland interest in 34-year-old coach

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Image for View: Leeds United need to hijack Sunderland interest in 34-year-old coach

Sunderland have been linked to Francesco Farioli as their new head coach for next season, but Leeds United should make a move for the 34-year-old Italian manager.

According to Fabrizio Romano, he is “appreciated” by Sunderland with a view to becoming the new head coach for 2023/24, as a replacement for Tony Mowbray:

Other teams have approached him in England, although Romano does not name who they are. However, Leeds should be involved in talks for the manager with a growing reputation on the continent.

He recently left Turkish side Alanyaspor in February after 48 games in charge of the club.

Meanwhile, Leeds have Javi Gracia in charge at present in the Elland Road hotseat, but he signed a “flexible” contract to the end of the season, highlighting that they need to be casting an eye at alternatives in the meantime as well.

Could Farioli be a candidate for Leeds?

His teams set up to play exciting, aesthetically pleasing football on the front foot, which would make him the perfect contingency plan for Leeds as the ideal candidate for a Championship promotion push.

His high intensity football would be somewhat reminiscent of Marcelo Bielsa, and Leeds could surely be a more tempting option than Sunderland, should they drop into the second tier. They would have a better foundation in terms of player quality and likely would in terms of budget, too.

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What position did Leeds finish in their first season in the Championship in 2004/05?

Leeds have lost the ability to string passes together as a team of late, and the team seem unable to consistently and effectively play out of a press. Farioli would bring back some of the automations and interplay which made Leeds fans fall back in love with the sport again under Bielsa.

A promising young coach with fresh ideas should be high on Leeds’ agenda this summer, irrespective of the division they are in. The likes of Andoni Iraola and Arne Slot would be out of their reach in the second tier, which makes the proposition of Farioli all the more enticing.

Hijacking this move for a though-provoking coach who is heading towards the top would be a coup for Leeds, and the right first building block towards mounting a promotion push in the Championship.

He loves to play a fluid style, usually in a 4-3-3 or 3-4-2-1 depending on the personnel available to him, and he also likes to press fairly aggressively as well; but the main thing he likes to assert is his dominance and control over the opposition. He is one of the most promising coaches in the game at the moment.

In truth, he could be considered for Leeds in either league as an option; but is a particularly more interesting choice should the Whites be looking for a rebuild in the second tier. Leeds need to make their interest known as soon as they can and divert Farioli away from the possibility of Sunderland.

Will Leeds be relegated?

Yes

Yes

No

No

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