After being flung in at the deep end, Daniel Farke is going to have to find his stroke pretty quickly at Leeds United if he wants to have everyone pulling in the same direction.
A poor 2022/23 might see players heading back into pre-season training with shoulders hunched and an acknowledgment that the upcoming campaign is going to be long and hard.
The German’s presence and demeanour will ultimately author just how well things go over the coming days and weeks, but for Leeds to have any chance to go straight back up to the Premier League, they need to hit the ground running.
There are bound to be a few casualties along the way, and a few departures before the start of the season might well be expected.
However, Farke will also need some strength in depth if he is going to be able to pull off an immediate promotion.
To that end, The Athletic (subscription required) have suggested that the club are keen on signing Liverpool’s 26-year-old Nat Phillips.
Although it’s believed that he’ll cost at least £10m, which is a significant outlay for a club that’s just been relegated, it could prove to be a drop in the ocean if it helps the all whites to go straight back up.
Farke has been chasing him since 2019 apparently, and he could do worse than make Phillips his first Leeds signing.