Daniel Farke Can Be Bad Guy – Leeds United Assistant Talks Up Toughness | OneFootball

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Leeds United assistant Edmund Riemer has lifted the lid on his working relationship with Daniel Farke, describing a shared good cop approach, while noting the German manager is also capable of taking on the more demanding bad cop role when needed.

Farke took over at Championship club Leeds in 2023, bringing his right-hand man Riemer with him to Yorkshire and steering the side to promotion to the Premier League in his second season at the helm.

On arrival, he was taken aback by the condition of Thorp Arch, which has since been significantly transformed to a standard now regarded as among the best.

Since their time at Elland Road began, the pair have overseen 145 matches for the Whites, registering 75 wins with an average of 1.18 points per game.

This season, after a stuttering start in the Premier League following last year’s Championship-winning campaign, the 49-year-old has guided Leeds to 16th in the table, just a point above the relegation zone, a position he himself forecast back in November.

Riemer opened up on his relationship with Farke and the nature of their working dynamic, framing it in terms of a “good cop, bad cop” balance.

He suggested he operates in the “good guy” role within the set-up, while stressing there is no fixed split between him and the 49-year-old, noting that the German tactician can also adopt that lighter touch at times.

Howver, the 41-year-old also added that Farke is fully capable of stepping into a more demanding, hard-edged role when the situation demands it.

Riemer said at a press conference (5:19): “No, I don’t think you can say I’m a bad guy, not at all.

“I would definitely label myself as a good guy, but I wouldn’t either manage the manager as a bad guy as well.

“If it comes to being a bad guy, he sure as hell can be a bad guy.

“But no, we’re working for a long spell together, so yes, I think I guess I’m in a traditional role as an assistant.”

The Whites face relegation battlers Tottenham Hotspur on Monday, with a result potentially proving pivotal in derailing Spurs’ season, although Leeds may not even need points to secure safety should West Ham lose to Arsenal on Sunday.