Leeds United's Liverpool steal already making waves behind the scenes in player talks

Egos should be left at the door with Leeds United, or removed altogether from key decision-making roles. Daniel Farke has sung the praises of the academy staff he has worked with for the past 16 months on the future direction of the club’s production line.

As the manager at the head of the club’s football operation, Farke has to oversee the final decisions made on what happens with the academy. He has to remain an objective voice when there are, understandably in his opinion, others keen to show off their own agendas.

“I always try to have different cornerstones that are important for us as a club and always try to take the best decisions for the club,” he said. “Of course, the academy, more or less, wants to bring as many players through as possible, because [it’s] a testament of the work.

“On the other hand, perhaps the scouting team wants to bring as many new players in because [it’s] the testament of the work. Or the head of recruitment wants to bring as many players through from his own network because [it’s a] testament of the work.

“I totally get this, but I always try to be there to overlook all this and then take the best decisions what is important for the club. It's also why you need a bit of experience as a manager because you need a good mix in building the squad.

“You need a good mix out of youth and out of energy and young players who are desperate to raise their game and who are there with big identification with this club. Sometimes also even older and mature players who lead the group.

“You always need a good mix and a good balance. If you just would allow one department to decide, it's never balanced. You need a manager who overlooks it and overlooks the decisions.”

Martin Diggle, poached from LIverpool in February, is the club’s academy manager. He was reserved special praise by Farke, along with under-21’s boss Scott Gardner. The German values their intelligence and absence of any selfish motives in their crafting of the club’s storied talent factory.

“I always take responsibility for these decisions, but it's always helpful and beneficial if you have top-quality people in the right positions,” he said. “I also have to mention Martin in the academy.

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“For example, we have a really good relationship and also how we talk about players. Also, Scott, for example, with our under-21s. We speak a lot about players and what is necessary.

“It is always beneficial when there is an understanding and not in a selfish way. ‘No, I just want to bring this player through because I like this player so much.’

“They understand 100 per cent what is necessary and it's always beneficial and helpful when you work with intelligent people and people who don't have that much of an ego. It is more like they have white blood running through the vein and also thinking ‘It's not about me.’

“It's more like about what is beneficial for the club and what I can say is the people we have here in the club are really excellent and, again, testament to our key people who were there with these decisions, who put them into these roles, our managers and the academy, our key people in the academy.

“I like to work with them a lot so because they are quality, but also really good human beings. If it would be in a different way, it wouldn't be possible to bring so many young lads through and create so many values with them, either with us in the first team or sometimes also, like with trading of a young player.

“This for us, as a club, is not like we can waste a million amount of money, so to develop our own prospects, our own talents will always be a cornerstone in our philosophy. Not just because of money, but also because of identification and how we want to be as a club.”