The former winger had a spell on loan at Elland Road and thinks Farke is the man to lead them back to the Premier League
Jermaine Pennant is backing his former club to return to the Premier League, but believes they may have to do it the hard way. The 40-year-old is convinced they have the right man for the job in Daniel Farke.
However, he thinks the play-offs may be the route Leeds United will have to take. Pennant had a season on loan from Arsenal back in 2003-04 but it was a season to forget for Leeds fans, who saw their team relegated with just eight wins.
Farke is no stranger to a Championship promotion campaign. He twice guided Norwich to the top flight, but crucially from Leeds’ point of view, it was the second one that has appealed with his appointment here, bouncing back at the first time of asking after relegation.
The Elland Road faithful will be hoping he can repeat that success, and Pennant thinks he will, but it might be a nervous end. He said: “I don’t know if Leeds will secure automatic promotion back to the Premier League this season but if they get to the play-offs then I’d think that they would be the favourites to make it through.
“Leicester have gotten off to a flyer and they look like one of the favourites to get promoted from the Championship, then I’d also throw Southampton and Watford into the mix.
“The Championship is a tough league and I wouldn’t like to be a fan going down into that division because your club can easily be swallowed up and not come back up for years, we’ve seen it before.
“But Daniel Farke has major experience in the Championship and he knows how to win it. He’s like a yo-yo in the league because he keeps going up and coming back down, but he knows how to get the job done in the Championship, so I think he’s the right man for the job for Leeds this season.”
