Panic at airport blocked, Farke joke and Ampadu Crew-Debayo ribs Leeds United on opening day in Germany

The first day of a sun-kissed training camp is in the cards for Germany’s Leeds United. Double sessions will be the norm for the Mainland Whites as they prepare for a critical period of preparation, living in each other’s pockets, for the season ahead.

Last summer, a few days in Norway around a friendly with Manchester United was the closest Daniel Farke got to a training camp with his team. It was a season heavily marred by delays, takeovers and post-relegation transfers that pushed a dedicated overseas program down the priority list.

LeedsLive is one of two media outlets covering whites in Farke’s homeland. I was courtside as the team went through their first session on their first morning at the complex. The 21 players named in Friday’s Harrogate Town squad, plus Alex Cairns, Harry Christy, Max Wober, Brenden Aaronson and Patrick Bamford, arrived on Saturday night.

READ MORE: Leeds United left the pre-season training camp “confused” and “frustrated” by Germany’s decision

Jayden Bogle arrived on Sunday afternoon after spending Saturday finalizing his move from Sheffield United. As the team settled into their first night’s accommodation, this correspondent stared into an empty, dark car rental office that had decided to close three hours early without any notice to customers.

After the panic subsided and an unexpected night near the airport, we all gathered at the training complex the club decided to use as their base. Yes, unfortunately the club and the authorities have asked for the venue to remain undisclosed due to wider concerns about the games United will be playing behind closed doors this week.

In the 30C heat, the team went through their warm-up routine, led by Chris Domogalla, one of the many support staff who play a part in this camp under Farke. Longtime lieutenants Eddie Riemer, Christopher John and Ed Wootten were front and center during football drills.

Daryl Carter, Sam Callaghan and Rishi Dhand were part of the medical team, while head of medicine Henry McStay later arrived with Bogle. Matt Robertshaw is the quarterback for the entire operation, making sure everyone and everything is in the right place at the right time.

All the while, Martin Sykes is watching over everyone as the club’s head of security. A simple glance from Sykes is enough to ensure that no one crosses the line.

With the sun beating down on everyone, warm-up exercises were followed by smaller-sided matches. In two boxes, the field players were divided into six separate teams. In each box, there were three teams playing against each other.

Farke oversaw one, with Crysencio Summerville, Aaronson, Joe Rothwell and Ilia Gruev on the side. Georginio Rutter, Joe Rodon, Charlie Crew and Pascal Struijk were others, with Joe Gelhardt, Mateo Joseph and James Debayo on the other side.

The squares were small and Farke focused on players pressing each other into these tight spaces and either beating that press with passes to well-placed teammates or losing possession and giving up to win it back. Crew and Debayo have more than held their own with their senior colleagues.

The small-sided games then turned into two six-a-side games played half a court wide each. The goalkeepers got involved and we had Christy playing behind Rodon, Rothwell, Debayo, Joseph and Summerville against Karl Darlow, Rutter, Aaronson, Gelhardt, Struijk and Crew.

At this point, as I watched Joseph lob Darlow out of bounds and Rothwell bury the ball from a tight angle after a run from deep, Farke’s son was watching. After spending most of the year away from his family in England, this camp on home turf is a rare chance to have loved ones close.

The competition and will to win, even in these practice games, was striking. The smallest decision, such as a ball being out of play by an inch, will draw appeals from the players. Big tackles from Rodon and Struijk stood out this session, while Farke kept asking Joseph to provide depth by getting in behind with no offside in play.

There’s a lighter side to Farke at the show between sessions. Performance analyst Aaron Dagger watches from afar, focusing on the console he uses to control the drone that hovers above our heads for two hours.

The manager shouts and tells the players that Dagger must be the only man in Western Europe who wears trousers in weather like this. That kind of camaraderie is important on these trips, with everyone away from their families and bonding before another nine months of championship battle.

The Wilfried Gnonto-Summerville axis remains in place, of course, but you see banter between Rodon and Rutter, Bamford and Joel Piroe. The goalies seem to be having fun with each other in their little group.

After the session is over, when the vultures finally dive in for their interviews, Ethan Ampadu can’t help but shout out the youngsters put in the press. Crew and Debayo, two of those who make a breakthrough, are playfully kept in check by the 23-year-old, who is already becoming one of the key figures in the dressing room.

There were no injury issues that occurred during the morning routine. Joseph took some shots and ran them away, while Summerville got short treatment and Bamford continued to manage his workload with an early finish.

There was another session planned for Sunday evening and Bogle will join Monday’s sessions.