'Get on with it' - Daniel Farke's stern Leeds United selection message as £2.5m call to be made vs Watford

Daniel Farke admits having to leave Isaac Schmidt out the matchday squad is ‘tough’ - but it is by no means a reflection on his performance levels in training.

Schmidt earned a rare start during Saturday’s 2-0 FA Cup defeat to Millwall but Championship chances have been few and far between, with the versatile defender left out of the squad entirely for meetings with Cardiff and Coventry City. The return to fitness of Pascal Struijk left Farke with a fully-fit defensive group and so the decision was taken for last summer’s £2.5million arrival to sit out.

Twenty-five-year-old Schmidt could return to the substitutes bench at Watford this evening, with Max Wober set for knee surgery and a six-week absence. But the chance of significant minutes is low, given Jayden Bogle, Junior Firpo and Sam Byram are all performing brilliantly ahead of him.

After another bright individual performance during Saturday’s cup exit, Schmidt might feel a little deflated with a return to his usual watching brief. But Farke insists the decision is based on the form of those ahead, urging his summer signing to ‘get on with it’ and impress when the chance comes back around.

“It’s always tricky in terms of man management because every player wants to be involved,” Farke admitted with regards to leaving Schmidt out. “It’s a tough job to disappoint a player, especially when you have a great character like Isaac. In the beginning he had to adapt a bit to the intensity of Championship football, but he found his feet.

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“It hurts yourself a little bit to leave him out, but it’s professional football, sometimes you have to disappoint. It’s not a decision against him, it’s a decision for another player. Get on with it, when the next chance comes to use it. In this position, there is lots of competition, Jayden Bogle probably a standout performer in this competition. Sam Byram unbeaten in all starting line-up appearances. We can’t always travel with four or five full-backs.

“All players are important. We can’t be successful with only 10 or 11 players. Jayden, Junior and Sam know they can’t give two per cent less. When they play well, also credit to Isaac because he keeps the pressure on in training. You need competition and Isaac is one of the players who makes sure no-one can drop his level, quite happy with his development.”

With Leeds now out of the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, Schmidt might feasibly not start another game this season but that could quickly change. Farke has been relatively fortunate in having Byram stay fit during Firpo’s hamstring rehabilitation earlier this season, but minor issues for both at the same time - which has happened before - could open the door.

Schmidt will at least be expected to return to the matchday squad at Watford this evening, following confirmation from Farke of Wober’s surgery. The Austrian defender has been battling a persistent knee injury since the September international break and will go under the knife for a second time, having done so in October.