Patrick Bamford told he is NOT a part of Leeds' Premier League plans as injury-hit striker is left out of pre-season tour after ‘honest' talks with manager
Speaking to the press after Leeds drew 0-0 against Man Utd in a pre-season friendly in Stockholm, Farke said: 'With Patrick (Bamford), I had a really open and honest conversation.
'I would have preferred a completely fit Patrick Bamford in the last two seasons. He knows how much I rate him as a person.
'It was the second day of pre-season when I told him in my office that he wasn't part of my plans for the upcoming Premier League season, due to the fact that he's had really difficult years over the past few years.'
Bamford signed for Leeds in 2018, winning two promotions with the club but has struggled with injuries over the last few years and failed to score at all last season.
'For me, Patrick is someone who needs to be the main man. If he gets this, he will score goals at every level because he's a top player,' said Farke.
'But after the last few seasons, I wasn't willing to do this and say he was our main man at Premier League level. With the CV he's had at Leeds United, he shouldn't be a back up option. This is not what you should be when you are the main man for so many years,' the Leeds boss added.
'He has trained really professionally and his reaction was top class, as expected. He liked the openness and honesty. Patrick has done so much for this club over the last seven years, winning two promotions.
'He trained with us over the first two weeks but I told him that once we go to the training camp, I will reduce the size of my group so that's why I made this cut right now,
'It was really tough because Patrick knows 100 per cent how much I rate him as a player. To have such a conversation with him, especially when he looked really sharp and highly motivated when he came in.
'Like always, he's an unbelievable professional. There's no one to blame. In the last one and a half years, with not too many appearances or goals, it's unlucky as he had several injuries.'
'I'm pretty sure that he would have preferred if I told him he was the main man. It's never an easy conversation, especially for a player that's done so much for Leeds United. When he sits face-to-face in front of me, it's always difficult but I'd rather have this conversation than send my sporting director. It's the toughest part of the job as a manager.
'I was also pretty grateful because it was so emotional for myself. We've had so many good experiences. Patrick behaved like a gentleman. Yes, he would have wished for something else but his reaction was top-class and I'm grateful for how he reacted.'
Leeds now travel to Germany for a pre-season camp, with two fixtures behind closed doors.
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