The managerial approach of Daniel Farke has been indirectly critiqued by one of his former players from Leeds United.
Since 2023, the German manager has held the reins at Elland Road, successfully guiding Leeds to the Premier League during his second season.
Charlie Cresswell: Daniel Farke didn’t give youngsters a chance at Leeds
However, Charlie Cresswell, an academy graduate from Leeds, believes he wasn’t afforded sufficient opportunities to showcase his talent for the team, asserting that clubs in France, such as his current club Toulouse, demonstrate a greater willingness to provide avenues for young players compared to their counterparts in England.
This viewpoint seemingly overlooks the fact that, for example, Arsenal, who are at the top of the league, has a 15-year-old in their lineup, or the fact that in the last year, 11 players younger than Cresswell have been included in England’s senior squad, with nine of them playing for English clubs.
In fact, Archie Gray, a former teammate at Leeds, is four years younger than Cresswell but participated in 52 games under Farke during Cresswell’s final season at Elland Road. It almost seems like age was not a determining factor.
Nevertheless, Cresswell shared his thoughts with French media outlet Footballogue: “I believe it’s an opportune moment for young foreign players to consider joining French clubs and competing in Ligue 1. Here, numerous clubs place significant trust in young talents.”
“Managers are comfortable fielding young players, without hesitation, whereas in England, it can be more challenging to secure a spot in the first team because they often view players aged 18, 19, or 20 as inexperienced.
“In France, if they assess that a player possesses sufficient quality, they will provide them with playing time, opportunities, and unwavering confidence.
Cresswell disputes the notion that his increased playing time in France is potentially attributed to a lower standard compared to the Premier League. He stated: “Ligue 1 is far from a farmers’ league. There are numerous excellent teams and prominent clubs in France. Every match is a battle, making it exceptionally challenging.
“I recently discussed this with Tyler Morton, who expressed his surprise at the high level of quality in Ligue 1.
“It’s quite the opposite of a farmers’ league. One only needs to observe the talent that Ligue 1 has cultivated. The quality of football and the players is genuinely top-notch.”
It could be argued that Ligue 1 ‘produced’ these players only for them to move on to other leagues, but that’s a different matter.
