Daniel Farke pre-Plymouth press conference every word on doubtful Leeds United pair, Struijk injury and Gnonto

"Without talking too much about individuals, I think there were many, many players when I arrived in the beginning of the season who were thinking about the move and I wouldn't blame them because it's also quite natural after this club was allowed to spend three years at Premier League level and many players played games at Premier League level and there was interest in them and some exit clauses. It's then quite normal, especially for a young player that you think okay, what is the best step in your career? Let's be honest. And also self critical we had also some difficult years in the last couple of years and it's then also quite natural that you think what is next because the career of players is quite short and I wouldn't blame anyone. But I also sensed that the more that we worked together from day to day that they also sensed something new is growing, there's something new that you want to develop in order to play and using our principles. You could feel that the trust and the bond between each other was growing, more or less from day to day. It was still a bit tricky towards the end of the transfer window to be honest but it's still growing from day to day and I was always convinced that with the way we want to work and would work and the football we want to play and also our ideas and the mid-term and long term plans for this amazing football club we would attract also this type of players and quality players. It was also giving some trust and confidence back that we will have a chance to get them back on track. But all the praise goes really goes the lads because what they're doing in terms of spirit and togetherness and bonding together again was always important for this club ad it is amazing so far, but we have to make sure that it won't last just for a few weeks or right now for three or four months. Want to keep going, still going and we are on the right path."

"I am not tempted too much to speak about the future of individual players because we had this discussion and I had to have these discussions more or less since I arrived in the first two and a half months. I was quite open because it was an important topic but the feelings right now thank God are that from the beginning of September, there is a bit of relief and we can concentrate on football and I'm not tempted to speak at the beginning of November already about what will happen then in the future, in January on the summer or whatever. So at the moment, I'm just focused on my team and I want my players just to focus on so many games so we'll have so many games until the transfer window opens again in January and then so many more games until then the season is over and then it opens again then in the summer. At least during the periods when it is closed, let's not talk too much about individual's futures. Let's just concentrate on using their values, using their skills and using their quality. We are all happy that we have these players and that we have Willy and to have him on board and they are all working together in the right direction. I think that they are fully switched on and obviously you could see that from the performances of the players and even if they are not spending each and every minute on the pitch when I see for example how much he (Gnonto) was celebrating in the last home game after Cree was scoring goals, although he was just a substitute anyhow, it says a lot about his attitude at the moment and for that it's not a question about. Let's ignore all this noise and concentrate on what is important and the only thing that is important is Leeds United Football Club and wanting to be successful with this squad."

"In order to create unity, you need to be patient and so obviously you work on this topic from day one to create an atmosphere of truth. I like to be especially inside the dressing room and inside our meetings to be brutally honest and also to speak about weaknesses and errors that we want to improve and my feeling also is the players like and want this honesty and the truth and not anyhow just some hidden compliments or whatever so they want to have a mirror and speak about the areas where we have to improve and where individual players have to improve. I think this is quite crucial but also to give them an atmosphere of trust and backing. But then step by step it's more or less like, if you're patient then something's growing but you have to be careful because you need a bit of time and patience in something you grow but you can lose and ruin spirit and togetherness pretty, pretty quick and for that you always have to stay awake and aware especially what you need in the group of players every single day and to be on it and stay focused and making sure that everyone is really on the same page because you can ruin it if you are not on it this atmosphere and unit pretty quick but at the moment I have to say it's an easy task for myself because the players and also the cubs to praise them as well are really brilliant, they all buy into it and create an atmosphere where we really enjoy to be at the training ground each and every day and to work with them. That doesn't mean that we sugarcoat any performances or situations so we will still be pretty self critical because we want to have the highest demands and to play and perform at the top level. But at the moment, I have to say, I have to praise them a lot."

"No. The timeframe was always between six and eight weeks for example for Djed to return back into team training and then there was a question in the final stages of his rehab sadly where he had tonsillitis I think is the right word and also a little cold and it lasts three or four days and you have to push the rehab plan a little bit back and then anyhow when he has been out for seven weeks, you have to make a decision - do you really want to push him to be back into training and then to be perhaps back in the team training for just one or two days. Let's be honest, it was such a long time that if it's just one or two days back in team training he is not really a topic for the game anyway. We need to make sure we don't do anything stupid, that we go for the more conservative choice and make sure that he is back in team training at some point during the international break and due to this illness of Djed we went back to this more conservative plan and I definitely think this is right."

"I never talked about the starting lineup because I also think that the opponents will listen to my press conference. We have also some other options definitely for sure. But I have spoken a lot about my appreciation for Liam. He has been like a leader in this dressing room and he is so important for this group and I have also got the feeling, especially for this game he will play an unbelievably important role because he has this experience. We have a pretty exciting young group and I like to work with young players but the value of experience of players like Liam, like Luke, like Karl Darlow, to have this experience with players is quite crucial. I think for this game, I think we have to be even more spot on and focused than for the Leicester game because for me, two situations during the season are always important. The first is once there is a little setback and a little disappointing result, how you react and we have had this already in the season but we have always reacted so far in a really good manner with really good play and especially with really good performances and really good results. But the other topic is after a game where everyone praises you, when you are in the spotlight game like like we did away at Leicester with a well deserved clean sheet win and everyone is praising us and the pundits are praising us and the press are praising us and our supporters are enjoying the week and the players are enjoying this amazing win - but then to make sure that the next game, the next home game that everyone expects 'okay, we are capable to win at the away ground against the unbeaten leaders, we are capable to win this then the next home game is easy - it feels a bit like another day in the office. No, no. You have to make sure that in this game we are even more on it because in this league you have to make sure that there is not one game where you go into this game as just another game in the office because for Plymouth it will be one the games of the season. They have worked so hard over the last course of the season to have these games, an away game at a full packed Elland Road. For each and every player it's a highlight of the season. If we go into this game with the attitude of it's just another home game and just another day in the office, we have no chance to win the points. But this game has the same value as the Leicester game because it's also about three points and we have to make sure that we go into it and everyone is prepared in a perfect way and to be honest we need the whole stadium - we need the ticket office, we need the guys who sell the burgers, we need each and every supporter to make sure that we create an atmosphere where it is outstanding where it is impressive for our opponents but where we make sure it's our fortress, it's Elland Road. I want our supporters even more excited and even more on it in this game to create an even better atmosphere than in the away game stands at Leicester because we need this and we need this attitude also with the group of players and for this players like Luke Ayling, like Karl Darlow, like Liam Cooper  are crucial and we need them to create this atmosphere because this three points have the same value like the other three points. It's not like okay, we can look back and be 99 per cent. No, we have to be even more on it and everyone who is in the stadium tomorrow has to make sure - not tomorrow, tomorrow would be a bit too early but on Saturday has to make sure that we are really absolutely on it and create a buzzing atmosphere because we want to keep going and we want to win the next pretty important points."

"No, it's not the plan. So in general Stuart is not involved in team training at the moment so for that he can't be involved in team training with Northern Ireland. Obviously during the international break he will have during his individual work one or two days/ a couple of days off. If he then wants to use this in order to be there with a short visit to lift the mood because when you are involved in such a long rehab process it's often not that easy for the head and if it gives him a lift and a boost we are always open to it but the main topic for Stuart is to work on his rehab work and to join us back in team training as soon as possible."

"We wanted to bring him and didn’t expect he would be injured and out for so long. He had a difficult pre-season, he was not involved in the first games, then we always thought ok, it will last two, three or four weeks until he is back in his rhythm. After just two or two and a half weeks of team training he got such an injury and has been out eight weeks. It’s a bit annoying, but over the course of a long season you have injuries and unlucky situations. You wish every player is available and in their rhythm, but if you are an experienced coach and work a bit longer in the business then you can’t choose. He gets all our backing and all our support, to bring him as quick and as soon as possible to his best performance level. We need him right now, it was not just these eight weeks he was missing, it was also a difficult pre-season, so he has to work even more disciplined and professional than any other player to be back at his best level. I got a good feeling with him, he is a good guy, he needs a push sometimes to be on it as he has so much potential, but we don’t have to speak about his ability. He has a good heart and I hope we can bring the best out of him although he had this little setback with his injury."

"Yes obviously I would have preferred to have him available for the next games, because I got the feeling he was down after the last game because he felt so much and we needed to cheer him up. I told him he played better at 80 per cent than 100 per cent last season, if I am honest. It was not enough to convince him to keep going with the pain. It’s definitely the right decision because you can’t push a player through such a long period. You can do this for a few weeks and we’ve done that, but it’s definitely the right call also to have this surgery because then I am pretty sure if he comes back and plays without pain he will improve his consistency and it is important for Pascal. I am used to adapting to reality. The reality is he’s not available. All my players get my backing whoever plays there. If it’s Liam, Charlie, Ethan and even Sam Byram can play there. They will always get my backing as I trust them. It would be a problem if he would be out for such a long period and missed 10 or 12 games, but this won’t happen and for that we need to find other solutions, we find them in the other players and for them, it’s a chance to shine and be involved. They have my backing and trust and all my attention is on the other players to support them."