Leeds boss Farke to celebrate promotion like 'fire beast'

For a moment, 48-year-old Leeds United coach Daniel Farke seemed a bit mixed up after making history. Having earned his third promotion from the EFL Championship to the Premier League, the usually composed German appeared briefly lost in translation.

As he tried to announce in German that he would now become a Feierbiest - a "party animal" - his remarks amusingly came out as "fire beast." The phrase quickly made headlines. "I will be a fire beast," he was quoted as saying.

Then Moenchengladbach's head coach Daniel Farke gestures during the German first division Bundesliga football match between FC Augsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Augsburg, Germany, Jan. 25, 2023. (Photo by Philippe Ruiz/Xinhua)

Departing from his usual reserved celebrations of "cake and coffee on the sofa," the former Monchengladbach coach instead promised "one beer after the other and then champagne." He added that he'd be "the first on the table" after dancing on the balcony at Elland Road in front of jubilant fans.

Though Farke previously secured promotions with Norwich City in 2019 and 2021, the 2025 success with Leeds marked a deeply emotional moment following a disappointing stint in Germany. His return to English football has made him the first German coach to achieve three promotions to the Premier League.

He now shares that record with lower-league legend Neil Warnock, who led Sheffield United (2006), Queens Park Rangers (2011), and Cardiff City (2018) to the top tier. "Making it to the level of a coach like Neil Warnock is something very special to me," Farke said.

After failing to secure promotion in 2024 following a playoff loss to Southampton, Farke took Leeds back to the Premier League on his second try. "We feel the magic of the moment," he said. "I'm looking forward to a few days without football after our celebrations."

When reminded by the media that all three clubs promoted last season are likely to be relegated after just one year in the Premier League, Farke laughed. "Don't scare me," he said. His goal now is to "break the circle" for Leeds, a three-time English champion (1969, 1974, 1992) and 1975 UEFA Champions League finalist.

For now, Farke is focused on enjoying the moment with the fans. "They deserve this great time more than ever," he said. "I have rarely experienced similar emotions at a club. Leeds is truly one of the most iconic clubs in English football."

Midfielder and Bulgarian international Ilia Gruev praised Farke's calm leadership. "He stayed calm in tough moments, and that helped us to push through," said the 24-year-old. "We are so happy to soon face Liverpool, Arsenal, and Co."

From Gruev's perspective, Leeds has a special energy. "This is far from an ordinary promoted team," he said. And with Farke's passion leading the way, expectations are already building for the next chapter.