Finding the right words under pressure is hard, even for managers who do it every week. PMR tracks how well they manage it in the minutes after a match.
I learned how much those words matter in places where lives were on the line. One of those moments came down to three seconds. I’ll tell you about it at the end.
Every post-match interview Daniel Farke has given in Premier Managers Revealed 2026/27, collected in one place: the quotes, the score out of 12, the Identity level and the analysis, matchweek by matchweek. For the latest standings, see the Premier Managers Revealed league tables.
Matchweek 1
Nottingham Forest 0 – 1 Leeds United
Saturday 22 August, The City Ground
Daniel Farke — Leeds United (away)
12/12 · Identity level fed: Purpose
“I’m delighted with Stach. The summer was not the easiest for him. He didn’t get the call-up for Germany, then he was out with injury on the last game day. He had a tricky pre-season and wasn’t top-class in the first weeks, but I got the feeling in the last 10 days that he was getting better in the final games. He got the edge to start and when you’re there with the decisive goal, it’s good.”
“It’s still a long road. We need to collect 40 points, we are not naïve. The last time this club was able to have two solid seasons at [top-flight] level, you will perhaps find it in black and white photos. You won’t find them on smartphones, they weren’t invented then. For that, we stay humble, not too greedy and stay grounded. We know first and foremost we have to earn the right to establish ourselves in the Premier League.”
On Stach, Farke lays out a difficult summer honestly, no Germany call-up, injury on the last game day, a tricky pre-season, and then explains that the player had got better over the previous ten days and earned the start. The difficulty is temporary and the improvement belongs to Stach. On Leeds he sets a number everyone can hold on to, forty points, and names the behaviour that gets them there: humble, not greedy, grounded. Every category has something in it. It is the only twelve of the week.
Source: Sky Sports match report, Nottingham Forest 0-1 Leeds — skysports.com (also carried by Leeds United official site, “Daniel Farke hails ‘moment of brilliance’ in Forest victory”)
Matchweek 2
Leeds United 1 – 1 Brentford
Sunday 30 August, Elland Road
Daniel Farke – Leeds United (home)
12/12 · Identity level fed: Capability & Purpose
I am proud of my players and I have to give them lots of compliments. We faced a red-hot form Brentford side. I am proud of my players as I asked a lot of them today, we changed formation for the second half, got control and lost control, changed the formation again and got the goal and pushed for the winner. A brilliant, excellent Brentford side and pleased to have reduced them to just one goal and we found a way back into the game.
You can have an idea but all credit to the players to go and deliver that. To play a really good long season it is good for the confidence and good for the mood – we know we can be flexible and tweak things and change the formation even during the game a few times to find the solution. The players are buying in and ready to deliver. In the end it was a precious point.
Farke explains how Leeds changed shape, lost control, changed again and found the equaliser. The idea belonged to the coaches and the delivery belonged to the players. He names flexibility, confidence and the willingness to carry out a plan as qualities the team can use across a long season. Calling the point precious keeps the draw in proportion while the language points firmly towards the next solution.
Source: Leeds United club interview, source page
Matchweek 3
Brighton 1–1 Leeds United
Amex Stadium · Bogle 15′; Vušković 71′
Daniel Farke (Leeds)
Source: BBC Match of the Day, “What Farke said”, 5 September 2026
Q: How do you see the result?
It’s a good point on the road. It’s a tough place to come so it’s a good point because Brighton are a good team. But we had a chances to win it. Normally if you miss so many chances in an away game, you come away with no points so I’m happy to have a point in our hands. It’s a very good start for us – two difficult away games. It can always be better but overall it’s a good start and we are happy with it.
Q: On Dominic Calvert-Lewin?
Dominic was a big leader for us. He normally puts his chances to bed, but he’s a fantastic leader, fantastic player and we are happy to have him.
12/12 · Identity level fed: Esteem & Capability
Farke values the away point, respects Brighton and keeps the missed chances in proportion. Calling Calvert-Lewin a fantastic player and a big leader protects his Esteem after the misses and tells the group what remains true about him. The absence of a concrete next action does not weaken this answer. Its purpose is to recognise a good start, preserve confidence after missed chances and remind a senior player and the squad of the qualities they can trust.
Matchweek 5
Leeds United 4–1 Newcastle United
Daniel Farke, Leeds United: 12/12
“It was an excellent performance really from the first to nearly the last second. Not a clean sheet in the end but overall a top-class performance and I’m proud of my boys.”
“Finding a good balance. We wanted to press Newcastle and wanted to dominate this game. But on the other hand you also have to be aware how much pace they have up front. We need to find the good balance between finding the right triggers to press them, but also to be well structured in our last line.”
“We have good fitness levels, you always need to find the right triggers. When you press, everyone has to be on the same page. It’s a lot of work at the training ground to be that intense.”
“He plays with confidence, his fitness is up. I expect him to lead the group. He’s taken responsibility, never in doubt that he scores goals. It’s not just the goals though, the way he plays is outstanding.”
“Tonight, we’ll enjoy the win. Tomorrow, we prepare for our next game on Sunday.”
Farke enjoys the result and makes the praise credible because he tells us exactly why Leeds played so well. Energy, fitness, balance, pressing triggers and collective timing are clear Strengths, Qualities and Attributes. Dominic Calvert-Lewin is also described as confident, responsible and capable of leading the group.
The late goal remains a small, correctable detail. It does not become a verdict on the performance. Farke gives the players a full Good Winner* message: enjoy what has been achieved, understand why it worked, notice the improvement still available and begin preparing again tomorrow. It is a shame I cannot give him 14 points.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Winner* 2
Source: Leeds United and BBC Sport post-match interviews.
Leeds United 0–0 Crystal Palace
Daniel Farke, Leeds United: 12/12
“If you don’t score, make sure that you don’t lose, and that you don’t run into a counter-attack, and I’m quite happy with a clean sheet, and that we extend our unbeaten.”
“My players leave always their heart out on the pitch. We have heart and spirit, top fitness level, are tactically very flexible, can also adapt and change our formation during a game, and have also strong unity within the dressing room.”
“Sometimes a hard-fought draw is even more worth than a magic three points on the long road. Today we can also love one point.”
“It’s also important after an intense opener to the season right now also to have a bit time to recover, but obviously also with a relatively small group then also to work a bit on details, have also a bit more time to work a bit more with individual players on details you sometimes don’t have the time to do.”
Farke gives a goalless draw meaning without pretending it was a great attacking performance. Leeds were loose with the ball and untidy in the final third, but the clean sheet, defensive decisions and unbeaten run remain valuable.
His SQA language is exceptionally clear: heart, spirit, fitness, flexibility and unity. Recovery and individual detail work during the break form the path forward. By balancing ambition with acceptance, he turns one point into evidence rather than consolation. Again, Farke is brilliant, and it is a shame I cannot give him 14 points.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 2 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 2 · Good Draw 2
Source: BBC Sport post-match interview.
Matchweek 6
Arsenal 2–1 Leeds United
Saturday 10 October 2026, Emirates Stadium, London.
Daniel Farke, Leeds United: 10/12
Identity level: Belonging.
My emotions are a mix. I’m heartbroken and gutted for my players, they deserved to travel back with points today. To travel back without points is tough. On the other hand I’m very proud of a top away performance.
Can’t really complain too much with [our] behaviour for this goal.
Perhaps we were over-shifting too much and didn’t spot the run quickly enough.
Out of very little they were able to equalise.
Sometimes it’s [down to] a little bit of luck, there was not a big mistake, just a few details not spot on for the goal.
We’re not in a position to speak about fighting for the Champions League or the title like Arsenal. I can’t ask them for much more. No complaints.
Leeds have only lost once in six, so people are starting to talk about them. Farke doesn’t want his players listening to that, so he tells them they’re not in a position to talk about the Champions League or the title. He says it while telling them they deserved something from the game and he couldn’t ask for more, so he takes the pressure off without taking their confidence with it. He owns the bit that was fixable too, the over-shifting and the run nobody spotted, and he keeps the goal small: out of very little, a few details, no big mistake. That’s both halves of the Elevate Formula. He drops marks on SQAs and Path, though, because the only strength he names is the performance itself, and nobody goes away with anything to work on.
Breakdown: Towards 2 · SQAs 1 · Adversity 2 · Identity 2 · Path 1 · Good Loser* 2 · 10/12
Source: Leeds United.
Matchweek 7
Leeds United 1 – 1 Manchester United
Sunday 18 October 2026, 2pm, Elland Road.
Daniel Farke, Leeds United
10/12. Identity level: Esteem and Capability.
“I wanted to win this game and my boys as well, you could see this outside. We’re even a bit disappointed we didn’t win it.”
“I think we were the better side, the dominant side. It was not necessary to be losing at half-time. If you’re not one moment switched on to track the run and with their quality they can hurt you. We lacked a bit in our decision making in the first half, could have done a bit better and played with more clarity in and around the box. We had this in the second half had the momentum but the problem was there were too many strikes over the crossbar and too many crosses were a bit too long. This situation killed a bit our momentum. This lack of quality in the finishing and crossing was the only thing I could criticise.”
“You always have to be aware it’s still Manchester United and the quality that they have and can bring in. With a counter attack they can still hurt you, and we have not allowed anything in the second half, and for that many compliments to my players for another really good performance and to dominate the performance against Man United.”
“It was a different game today in comparison to some of the last game days – we had to defend a bit like a basketball team, always quick transition moments for Man United and we needed legs. Because they played so deep it was more important instead of going for the genius pass, to threaten them with physicality. It was not the time for our perhaps technical players who can find the easy little pass. We needed a bit more experience and physicality.”
Farke draws with Manchester United at home and is disappointed. That’s a standard being held rather than a sulk. The criticism is tightly bounded: strikes over the crossbar, crosses a bit too long, the only thing I could criticise. Against it he puts the better side, the dominant side and we have not allowed anything in the second half, and those are real SQAs. Adversity drops to 1, though, because nothing he says tells the players the finishing problem is temporary. He makes it narrow without making it Fleeting. Defend a bit like a basketball team tells them exactly what the afternoon needed. Path is 1. He names the fault without naming the work.
Source: Leeds United.
Matchweek 8
Sunderland 0 – 0 Leeds United
Sunday 25 October 2026, 4.30pm, Stadium of Light.
Daniel Farke, Leeds United
Score: 12/12. Identity level: Belonging and Purpose.
Yes, a big part. It’s fair to say it was not the nicest piece of football, but it’s also difficult in this condition when you don’t know the curve of the ball. It’s easy to play some proper football on a nice Sunday, Saturday afternoon when the sun is shining, but these types of games are also quite important. you have to adapt and accept the conditions and adapt also the fight and there’s lots of fight for second balls and many long balls and you have to show real steel, that’s what we did today, so our defensive way was really good, away, point on Premier League level, an away clean sheet is always a good outcome, it’s a good point, a good result for us in position. I think you could see a bit that we had a difficult training week when many, many key players in the offense were missing and under this circumstances, I just can give praise to my lads, we showed a different side of our game today, so not just very dominant and really good football today, we need to dig in and to grind out results is what we did
Yes, the mentality and the cultures that we have created, it’s a very honest team and also they know that sometimes you have to adapt to this level and I like that we added another clean sheet, I like that we look defensive wise really good and of course when you have a a training week like this and your star and key players are out during the whole week and even the starting lineup we had to play without several players then it’s also like in the defense you have to change your roadness already out nico video overnight out it’s never easy for a team but we handled this occasion really well especially against the ball and in terms of team spirit and fighting grinding out result Yeah on a good day we can be better in possession and create more chances and score more goals of course, but overall I have to give compliments to my players
Overall it’s difficult for players like Jaka Bijol, Brandon Aronson, Harry Wilson who were not in the starting line-up for a while and then you think, Right now, Son, here you go out and you shine a bit and then you come into such a difficult away game. With these conditions anyhow, it’s not easy. So it’s important also then in this moment for these players to adapt to the occasion, to show grit, to have the first 65 or 70 minutes under your belt. So I don’t expect him or the others to cut the world into pieces straight away right now. It’s important. But for him it’s also important that he played his part in grinding out the result, and this will definitely be beneficial for Harry, for Brandon Aronson, but also for Jakubiard.
Farke lets the conditions take the blame. Nobody can read the flight of the ball in that wind, and a sunny Saturday afternoon is a different game altogether. None of that is his players’ doing, and the weather passes, so the problem is both outside them and short-lived. The training week is the same story. Key attackers missing all week, again nothing to do with the players who turned out, and again something that will pass.
What he gives them instead is permanent. The mentality and the culture they have built, an honest team, players who know how to adapt and grind out a result. That belongs to them, it runs right through the side, and it does not wear off. The away clean sheet goes on the same pile.
He is still straight with them that on a good day they would create more. Wilson, Aaronson and Jiboll get something they can use as well: get the minutes in the legs and show a bit of grit.
Source: BBC Sport match report.
Matchweek 9
AFC Bournemouth 2 – 0 Leeds United
Saturday 31 October 2026, 3.00pm, Vitality Stadium, Bournemouth.
Daniel Farke, Leeds United
Score: 12/12. Identity level: Esteem & Capability.
Daniel, what are your reflections on the afternoon?
Yeah, football can be sometimes tough and one of the most unfair sports in the world, because very often just one goal is decisive and, even although you should win a game or at least not lose it, you can even lose such a game. This was the case. I think terrific first-half performance. We were all over them, created chances by chasing the game, scored a fantastic goal and, you know, I think just with margin ruled out. Yes, could be more clinical of course with our chances to go in lead, yes. And then out of nothing we concede more or less an own goal today. They went in lead and of course, as an in-form side, if they are then 1-0 up and have the home crowd behind them, it’s also difficult. We tried everything to the final second also to score, but how strong they are they’ve proven over the last two months and, you know, it’s difficult to create chances, to score goals. Yes, and obviously then in the 91st minute they scored another counter-attack or whatever. Tough for the boys because performance-wise nothing to moan about, also mentality top to the final second. In football sometimes you have to accept a loss and the team was a bit more clinical and a bit more effective, and for that congratulations to Bournemouth. But no complaints about my players. It’s completely the other way around. I’m even proud of the performance.
And the first goal, an error that you just can’t legislate for?
Yeah, he’s got no one going. Yeah, it’s a wrong decision and, you know, of course we are a side who doesn’t just put the ball long into a compact set-up and fight for second balls. And of course it was more or less like an own goal out of nothing, and it also gave just belief to the stadium and to Bournemouth. That was of course decisive today. And if you make a mistake, you can also lose the game. But yeah, this happens. We’re all human beings and for that, of course, we should have done better in this situation.
It helps, you say, it gave some belief to Bournemouth. Do you think it also took some of the belief from your team as well, having been so good up to that point?
Not belief, but it’s also normal, yeah, because normally we should be in lead and then we spoke before [about the] difficulty away at Bournemouth and their clean-sheet record in a row, and then all of a sudden they are 1-0 in lead. And then of course you feel a bit sorry for yourself. But it’s important that you then react quickly and that your key players are going ahead with a good body language. And we spoke at half-time, come on, no reason to dwell, yeah. It’s a bit more difficult because you’re in losing position, but this happens sometimes. You have to deal also with setbacks, and also unlucky setbacks or self-inflicted setbacks. And, you know, of course for a few moments you could see it’s more like a bit of disbelief. But yeah, we are all in this game for so long and, you know, we all have seen it happen.
If there was any criticism of your side today, amongst all the changes you made to try and impact the game, was it the fact that you just couldn’t carve out any clean chances in that second half?
Yeah, so a bit more concentrated with our finishing situation, a bit more concentrated in deliveries of the set-pieces. Yeah, if one team is defending so deep and so well like Bournemouth, sometimes you have to force a goal and could have been a bit more on it with the second wave sometimes, and the cross a bit more precise. Yes, with the tidiness in and around the opponent’s box, yes, it’s definitely something that we could have done better. But to be honest, in the last, yeah, whatever, six games or whatever, no team found better chances than we did today. It’s more or less the only criticism, yes.
And you got booked in the first half. What was that for?
Don’t speak after a loss about the referees.
Farke’s goalkeeper has handed Bournemouth the opening goal and Farke never once separates him from the group. We concede more or less an own goal. If you make a mistake, you can also lose the game, and we’re all human beings. Then he tells them it passes, and he says it three times over: this happens, no reason to dwell, we all have seen it happen. A mistake that could have followed Trafford around for a month is left as an afternoon. The problem comes out Other, Narrow and Fleeting, and the quality he sets against it, reacting quickly and going again with good body language, is Self, Broad and Lasting.
He pays for that protection with honesty rather than with vagueness. The finishing, the set-piece deliveries, the second wave and the crossing all get named as things Leeds could have done better. And asked why he was booked, he shuts the easiest door available to him: don’t speak after a loss about the referees. A grievance would have handed his players something they can never influence, and he won’t have it.
Source: Leeds United.
What links this league table to a life-or-death negotiation?
A young mother. Her children asleep in the back of the car. A hosepipe connected to the exhaust. A police negotiator with three seconds to find the words that might save their lives.
That call is where The 7 Skills to impress™ began.
When I listen to a manager after a match, I listen for the message beneath the words. A manager can be talking about a win or a loss, but the way they frame it can lift or chip away at a player’s belief before anyone even realises it.
Read Three Seconds to Save Their Lives: Jacqui’s Story and find out what he said.