Daniel Farke says he has ‘too much respect’ for other managers to comment on the situation of Leeds United loanee Sonny Perkins.
Farke was speaking in his pre-match press conference ahead of Leeds’ game against Bristol City on Saturday, in which he was asked about Perkins’ loan at Oxford United.
Perkins has played just two minutes of League One action since joining on loan from Leeds in August, with the 19-year-old having left out of the matchday squad completely for the last three matches.
Leeds had seen this as the perfect opportunity for him to go and play regular football after being on the fringes of the first team last season.
The Whites were able to beat off competition from Tottenham Hotspur to sign him from West Ham in 2022, with Perkins scoring his first professional goal in the FA Cup at Cardiff City in January.
Farke remains respectful over Perkins’ loan at Oxford
Regular football out on loan was seen as the next best logical step in his development, but that has not materialised during his first few weeks at Oxford.
Farke, though, says he understands the situation of managers and believes it is up the individual player to apply themselves and be successful out on loan.
He said: “In general I don’t want to talk too much about the players that are out on loan and not with us at the moment, because it’s then not my business. I would not expect the Tottenham manager to comment about our players and for that I respect that each and every club has their own business.
“Each and every player has to make sure they are spot on to be successful out on loan. I won’t comments on any decisions of other managers, I have too much respect.”
Many Leeds fans would’ve tipped Perkins to be a huge success in League One and so it is a mystery to see it going so poorly at the moment.
Oxford are among the best footballing teams in that division, which would’ve suited Perkins perfectly, meaning unless he is carrying an injury, there must be something deeper behind-the-scenes, as his ability cannot be questioned.
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