Joe Gelhardt could become Leeds United mainstay under Jesse Marsch
There will be a new manager in the dugout on Saturday (5 March) when Leeds United will face Leicester City in the Premier League.
Marcelo Bielsa leaves the club as a legend, and it won’t be easy for Jesse Marsch to emulate him straightaway.
While there are striking similarities in how they operate, Marsch wants to carve his own niche, stamping his own authority, implementing his own philosophy.
The transition will have to be smooth, otherwise, it will be difficult to salvage the season with Leeds already fighting for survival.
Marsch said something interesting in his first press conference (3 March) that gives an indication of what we could expect from him in the coming months.
He said, as quoted by Leeds Live: “Then there’s a lot of positive energy in a lot of the young guys and a lot of what I’ve done in my managerial career is about managing young players and helping them achieve their highest potential, so I have excitement in the group and excitement in being here.”
If he can stay true to his words, Leeds can enjoy a fantastic ride going forward.
One player who would be buzzing after hearing this is Joe Gelhardt.
It’s true that Gelhardt would not have been in the vicinity of the first team had there been no Bielsa. But Marsch can make him even better.
He not only wants to promote young talents but aims to extract the full potential out of them.
Gelhardt has made two Premier League starts so far, and further eight appearances have come from the bench.
The 19-year-old is an exciting talent who adds dynamism to the side, and Marsch could give him a regular starting role if he keeps on improving.
Bielsa wanted to take a cautious approach with Gelhardt, and in the process, he became a fringe player despite his potential. Marsch could unleash him. After all, age is just a number.
In other Leeds United news, Jeff Stelling has shared what he has been told about the injury blow to Patrick Bamford over the past week