'Farke deserves respect for phenomenal achievement'
- Published
Former Leeds United player Stuart Dallas says manager Daniel Farke "deserves respect" for the "phenomenal achievement" of guiding the club back to the Premier League.
Dallas, who made 266 appearances for the Whites over a nine-year spell at Elland Road before retiring in April last year, said Farke has handled the pressure "really well".
"He deserves a lot of credit because it's not easy being the manager of Leeds, as we all know," Dallas told BBC Radio Leeds.
"It was a hard task for him to try and get the club back. People comparing him to Marcelo Bielsa - it's completely different.
"You've just got to put some respect on his name because what he has done in the last two seasons is nothing short of phenomenal."
Leeds' points tally of 94 this season has already surpassed the 93 points they amassed when they won the Championship in 2019-20 under Bielsa when Dallas was a mainstay in the side.
"I'm thinking back to the team I played in, and it was an unbelievable team," Dallas said.
"Daniel's team has got more points than us, so it shows the job that he's been able to do.
"I think people need to relax and put a bit of respect on what he's achieved this season."
He added: "Daniel has said a lot of times this season that he has a points target in mind, and if they get to it, they will be promoted.
"He put his head on the line by saying that he's 100% sure they will get promotion, and that shows the belief that he had.
"I'm delighted for everybody involved at the club - to Daniel, his staff, all the players and everybody connected. It's a phenomenal achievement."