Archie Gray’s ambitions under Daniel Farke were crushed as Leeds United left to pick up the pieces of a demanding week.

Archie Gray’s ambitions under Daniel Farke were crushed as Leeds United left to pick up the pieces of a demanding week.

Daniel Farke had hoped that Archie Gray would not be returning to Leeds United after playing three full matches for England’s under-19 team.

Archie Gray was always going to have international experience, and Daniel Farke knew he could not continue to obstruct the Leeds United midfielder this month. The manager’s only hope was that Simon Rusk wouldn’t play the 17-year-old in all three of England’s under-19 games.

He will undoubtedly leave, so we just need to wait a little while and get everything under control, according to Farke. “I hope this time he doesn’t have to play all three games.

“Yes, but we’ll see. Hopefully he comes back unscathed, but the good thing about him is he’s blessed with a good body and also has good endurance, and hopefully it’s also beneficial,” a friend said.

Gray not only began but also completed all three of the matches in Montenegro. That means the adolescent played five complete matches and more than 450 minutes for club and country over the course of a 13-day span.

When Gray returns to Thorp Arch, Farke and Rob Price, head of medicine and performance, will need to evaluate him, but it would be understandable if they felt that starting on Saturday in Norfolk may push the kid too far. It would be unfortunate to prevent Farke from giving Gray another go at right-back in the upcoming game.

Against Bristol City, his fullback position worked so well with Glen Kamara and Ethan Ampadu in the middle of the field. Luke Ayling, who has spent the previous week working at the practice field, might have to take over for the German in his usual position.