Training at Thorp Arch has become one of the most fascinating talking points surrounding Leeds United this week, as new insights from the squad continue to shed light on the personalities and work ethics driving Daniel Farke’s side. In a season where Leeds are searching for rhythm, resilience, and consistency, what happens behind closed doors on cold mornings in West Yorkshire feels more important than ever.

The latest revelations began when Patrick Bamford offered some unexpected praise for Joe Gelhardt — now on loan at Hull City — describing the young striker as “one of the best” trainers he had worked with at Leeds. Given Gelhardt’s recent surge in form, scoring five goals in his last six Championship outings, the comment resonated instantly. It suggested that the form fans are seeing at Hull was not a sudden burst of confidence, but the result of years of dedication on the training pitch.

Yet while Gelhardt’s career revival has captured headlines elsewhere, the spotlight at Thorp Arch has swung to a player who is still very much part of the Leeds United story: Jack Harrison.

Anton Stach singles out Jack Harrison as the standout performer in training

Anton Stach, the German midfielder who has already made a strong impression since joining Leeds, recently filmed a “Day in the Life” feature with the club’s social media team. Honest, relaxed, and charismatic, Stach gave supporters a candid look into his daily routine — but it was his assessment of training performances that really caught attention.

Asked who impresses him most during the intense and highly structured training sessions run by Daniel Farke and his staff, the Leeds No.18 didn’t hesitate.

“The best in training? That’s a good question. I would say who’s really good in training is Jack for me. Jack Harrison. Yeah, he’s really good.”

For a player like Stach — known for discipline, tactical intelligence, and professionalism — to highlight Harrison speaks volumes. And when considering the context, it becomes even more striking.

The 29-year-old winger, once a cornerstone of Leeds’ attacking identity, has been forced into a very different role this season following the arrival of Noah Okafor from AC Milan. With competition tighter than ever, Harrison has been limited to just one Premier League start, an unusual position for a player who previously featured in some of the club’s biggest top-flight moments.

Some players would have sulked. Others might have mentally checked out or quietly explored a January move.

Jack Harrison has done the opposite.

The attitude of a model professional

Despite reduced minutes, Harrison has become the kind of presence clubs dream about having in the dressing room: consistent, positive, relentless, and absolutely driven to improve. That attitude has not gone unnoticed by those who work with him on a daily basis — especially his personal development coach, Ethan Solis.

Solis, who has been overseeing Harrison’s individual growth, delivered a glowing assessment of the winger’s mentality in an interview with Leeds Live.

“Jack respects the decisions, he’s humble, he’s just ready… he’s ready to go if you need him, if there’s an injury, and he’s going to have a string of games. I think you’ll get the best out of him. The guy’s not shy of putting in a shift and working his tail off on the field.”

What came next, however, was the most surprising part.

“He’s happy. He’s in his best mental state I’ve ever seen him. He wants to play like any player, right, but he understands the situation. Mood-wise, I’ve never seen him this happy.”

This level of poise and maturity is rare at a Premier League club — especially for a player who once carried the expectations of a fanbase and is no longer guaranteed a starting spot. Many in his position would be quietly frustrated or openly disgruntled. But Harrison’s mentality seems to have evolved with experience.

He has seen promotion, survival, near-relegation, pressure, and squad overhauls. He knows the highs and lows of top-level football. That perspective has become his strength.

Setting the standard at Thorp Arch

Those who observe Leeds’ training sessions describe Harrison as one of the most intense and focused players on the pitch. His warm-up routines are meticulous. His tactical drills are performed with precision. His finishing sessions — particularly cutting in from the left and striking across goal — remain elite. Younger players gravitate towards him, knowing he is someone who consistently demonstrates how to conduct oneself at a Premier League club.

For Daniel Farke, the presence of a player who trains like a starter even when he isn’t playing like one is invaluable. Harrison helps raise the baseline for everyone around him. He builds pressure on teammates in his position. He sets a competitive tone that keeps standards high.

And crucially, he prepares himself for the moment his chance inevitably comes.

The bigger picture: Leeds may need Harrison sooner rather than later

Farke’s Leeds side has struggled to find the kind of consistent attacking rhythm that defined the early Bielsa years or the best moments of the Championship-winning season. New arrivals like Okafor have shown quality but are still adapting. Injuries and tactical adjustments have created uncertainty in wide areas.

That’s where Harrison becomes such an important figure.

Should performances dip or if an attacker loses form, Harrison is the first in line — ready, sharp, mentally locked-in, and more motivated than ever. Every season in the Premier League, a player goes from squad member to mainstay simply because they kept working while waiting for an opportunity.

Harrison looks like that kind of player.

A player too good to stay sidelined forever

There is a growing sentiment among supporters that Harrison may once again become a key figure if Farke decides to rotate. He has proven quality. He has Premier League experience. And he has earned trust through professionalism, not politics.

Football history is full of players who fell out of the starting XI but fought their way back through attitude. Harrison may be next in line to do exactly that.

For Leeds United, having someone who can step in with minimal disruption — and who trains with the intensity of a guaranteed starter — is a luxury. For Harrison, this period might be laying the foundation for a resurgence.

And if results do not improve, Farke may soon find that the answer to Leeds’ attacking inconsistency has been right in front of him all along — sprinting down the touchline at Thorp Arch, never missing a session, never dropping standards, and waiting patiently for the moment to prove his manager wrong.