Daniel Farke says he does not want to risk the fitness Leeds United trio Joe Gelhardt, Charlie Cresswell and Leo Hjelde playing them in the U21s.
Farke was speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow’s game with Huddersfield Town, where he was asked about his recent use of the three players.
With Leeds’ squad almost a full fitness, Farke has been forced to leave out a number of players from his matchday squad completely, with Gelhardt, Cresswell and Hjelde those to have been omitted.
All three were heavily involved at the start of the season but failed to make any sort of impact in their opportunities on the pitch, and as such, their involvement is very much at a premium.
Since the Carabao Cup exit at Salford City back in August, the trio have played a combined two minutes of senior football, which is not what they would’ve hoped for at the beginning of the season.
Farke does ‘not want to risk’ Leeds trio in U21s
While Hjelde was handed some football in the U21s’ 3-1 win over Hertha Berlin earlier this week, Farke feels high intensity training with the first team is currently more beneficial to them.
He said: “Well, first of all, they were competitors also for us on the gameday squad and it’s important that you have competition and the training for example. Also Charlie has played a lot on international level.
“We don’t want to risk anything and you have always to take some individual choices which for example, Mateo Joseph was involved [for the 21s] because of lack of game time after his injury.
“I think it was quite important. Joe has played a few games also, Charlie has played several games during the international break and for that we have the feeling of this moment wasn’t necessary that they have more minutes.
“It would be more beneficial to train with us on a really good training level but we will decide more or less from game to game and from from training to training what we do.”
Gelhardt surely concerned by lack of Leeds minutes
Thankfully for both Cresswell and Hjelde, their match sharpness should still be at a decent level given how much they played for their respective countries in the recent international break.
Gelhardt, though, has played just one minute of football at any level since the end of August and so he really could do with at least some minutes somewhere.
Unless injuries hit hard, it is difficult to see any of them featuring in the first team anytime soon, and so surely they will be considering a loan in January.
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