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Jesse Marsch to be announced as Marcelo Bielsa's Leeds United replacement Monday
Jesse Marsch is due to be announced as the new manager of Leeds United on Monday following the departure of Marcelo Bielsa, reports The Athletic’s Phil Hay.
The Argentine has been relieved of his duties at Elland Road, following a 4-0 defeat at the hands of Tottenham that capped off a brutal run of form including four straight losses and the concession of 17 goals.
American Marsch is expected to be announced as the new boss, with the timetable for the turn-around expected to be quick due to the former RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig manager’s circumstances.
Phil Hay writes in The Athletic: “The emergence of Jesse Marsch… as Bielsa’s probable successor — an appointment Leeds would like to secure rapidly, with an announcement due on Monday — shows that a change has been brewing in the background.
“Marsch, 48, was a leading candidate to take the job at Elland Road at the end of this season, in the event that Leeds and Bielsa parted company, but his out-of-work status and close relationship with director of football Victor Orta made expediting talks simple.”
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A change of manager during the season is a big deal for any club, but the departure of Bielsa from Leeds is seismic in comparison to most.
The identity of the club is so closely tied to the departed boss that a change now is likely to be a major upheaval.
Andrea Radrizzani would surely have wanted to wait until the end of the season to make a change at the very least.
But the recent form has plunged the club deep into relegation trouble, and with the 66-year-old Bielsa steadfastly sticking to his principles, a change in fortunes did not look to be on the horizon.
Such is the Whites’ current predicament, sitting just two points above the relegation places and having played more games than those below them, there is no time for the players to dwell on the exit.
Marsch has a major job on his hands to preserve United’s Premier League status for next season, and with Hay reported that the incoming man “sees himself as a coach of Premier League standing”, relegation could throw the succession plan into doubt.
In other Leeds United news, star man Kalvin Phillips has shared an emotional tribute to his former boss.