Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk says the football Daniel Farke is looking to implement is ideal for him.
Struijk was speaking in an interview with the Yorkshire Evening Post, where he shared his happiness of having a manager that looks to dominate the ball.
The 23-year-old has confirmed he will be staying at Leeds this season despite the club’s relegation to the Championship back in May.
Tasked with playing left-back for much of last term, Struijk endured a nightmare second half of the 2022/23 campaign with arguably his worst run of form since breaking into Leeds’ first team.
It became apparent the position he was tasked with playing, coupled with the different styles each of Leeds‘ three managers last season wanted to play, badly affected his confidence.
Struijk says Farke’s football is making him ‘happy’ again
Though still very early days, Struijk looked somewhere close to back to his best against AS Monaco on Saturday, playing 90 minutes in his rightful position at centre back.
Speaking at Leeds’ media day on Tuesday, Struijk explained how the way he was brought up to play football made last season difficult for him, which is why he is now feeling ‘happy’ again under Farke.
“We’ve played three games now and I think the football we’re playing is good. We just need to improve some little things, but that’s what pre-season is for.
“You grow up to play football. I always want to have the ball and play with it. It’s not necessarily for me and in my DNA to just play it long and see, then just defend. I think as a kid you grow up to play with the ball and not just defend. I’m happy with the way we’re doing it right now.”
Struijk spent some of his years as a youngster in the academy of Ajax and so naturally, has been brought up to be strong in possession.
As such, a return to this style under Farke could be exactly what he needs to reignite his career at Elland Road after it had appeared all but over at the end of last season.
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