‘Confusion’ at Leeds United as Chris Armas clings on to job, ‘strange’ turn of events
There is “confusion” at Leeds United over Chris Armas’ role due to him still being at Elland Road despite being one of Jesse Marsch’s hires, according to Telegraph journalist Jason Burt.
Writing in The Telegraph’ sport section on Thursday (page five, 16 February), Burt wrote that hiring Armas 12 days before Marsch was sacked has developed into a “strange decision”.
Despite clearly being an appointment made by Marsch, the American former Manchester United coach has survived the axe and made up part of the interim coaching team with Michael Skuabala and Paco Gallardo.
Weird
Why is Armas still at Leeds?
Is it because the club feel bad for hiring him and then sacking Marsch?
Usually, when a manager is sacked, all the coaches he brought to the club personally are released along with him, which means that Armas should have been sent packing.
But he’s still on board along with Gallardo and caretaker manager Skubala, neither of which were hired by Marsch specifically.
Armas has worked at New York Red Bulls and Toronto FC as manager while he also worked with Ralph Rangnick at Manchester United before that particular interim spell went south.
Last year, it was revealed how Sir Alex Ferguson mocked Armas for his experience in the game during his time at Old Trafford [The Athletic].
It’s nothing against Americans in football but clearly, these Americans haven’t worked out.
While Tyler Adams has been impressing on the pitch, Brenden Aaronson’s form died out as quickly as it picked up. More time is needed to decide on Weston McKennie.
It speaks volumes that Marsch was allowed to sign his own players at Leeds, bringing in the likes of Aaronson and Rasmus Kristensen because he’d managed them previously, only to drop them both at the end of his reign at Elland Road.
With the 49ers coming in to take charge at Leeds, we hope that more Americans aren’t hired or signed simply because they’re American.
We feel that’s what’s happened here.
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