49ers’ contact advised MOT to hire a Premier League manager to replace Farke.
Phil Hay has revealed that Nottingham Forest boss Steve Cooper was a candidate for the Leeds job prior to Daniel Farke’s appointment in the summer.
Leeds have enjoyed their best run of home games for 10 years, with victories over Watford (twice), QPR (twice), Bristol City (twice), Huddersfield (twice), Plymouth Argyle (twice), Swansea (twice) and Middlesbrough.
However, after the 49ers’ relegation from the top flight last season, a source close to the club said they would prefer to sign Cooper from Forest.
On Sunday, Hay wrote for The Athletic that a source with recruitment knowledge and a connection to Leeds’ new owners believed that the club should “have a good laugh” at Nottingham Forest’s Steve Cooper, who had recently “taken the Championship by storm”.
It was also believed that Cooper was under “tremendous pressure” at his previous club, which might have convinced him to join West Yorkshire, Hay added.
However, it was the unanimous view within the club that Farke should take charge.
After four years in charge at Norwich, Farke is one of the favourites in the Championship to lead the club back into the top flight.
Leeds are sitting in third place with 38 points, 7 points behind second-from-bottom Ipswich and 8 behind leaders Leicester City.
After just one season at the top of the second tier, promotion is very much on the cards.
The Whites have won key games over the last few weeks, including a 4-3 home win over Hull City and a narrow 1-0 win over Huddersfield at the KC Stadium.
