Birmingham City hired Wayne Rooney and wound up in League One.
Leeds United have recovered nicely from a difficult summer, picking up 11 points out of a possible 18. Saturday’s 2-0 victory over bottom club Cardiff City propelled them back into the Championship top six.
However, unrest persists, with some United fans dissatisfied with Daniel Farke’s playing style. The German is under pressure to deliver promotion at the second attempt after failing in the play-offs the first time around.
Former Everton manager Keith Wyness has urged the Whites against dismissing Farke, citing Birmingham City’s decision to fire John Eustace last season as an example of what may happen when a team acts too hastily. Wayne Rooney succeeded Eustace at St Andrews, although his catastrophic tenure played a significant role in the Blues’ relegation to League One.
Wyness told Football Insider: “Birmingham is an excellent example of owners who thought they understood everything about football, recruited Wayne Rooney, and ended themselves in League One. That is a serious illustration of what may go wrong when you act too soon.
“They made some major blunders. American owners can do that, but so can any nationality; there have been bad British owners as well.
“It’s a hunger for success, but getting there in football isn’t always easy. I believe Farke is an excellent manager for Leeds. He’s had to reorganize the group and get things rolling, so any knee-jerk reaction would be inappropriate.”
Farke’s team return to play on Saturday, hosting Coventry City at 3 p.m. Former United assistant manager Gus Poyet told Football League World via William Hill: “You have to trust the manager.” He’s lost Archie Gray and other key players from last season.
“They need a firm foundation to boost their results, and this is his preferred method. I am confident they will get it right and be challenging by the conclusion of the season.”
