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Ralph Hasenhuttl in contention to replace Jesse Marsch as Leeds United manager
Ralph Hasenhuttl is among the candidates to replace Jesse Marsch as Leeds United manager along with Carlos Corberan, according i News.
The Austrian has been out of work since leaving St Mary’s in November but had two years in charge of RB Leipzig prior to arriving in England, part of the same Red Bull network as Marsch and where a number of recent signings have come from.
The American has been sacked following the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest made clear that a relegation battle is now very much on the cards, despite heavy backing in the transfer market, and the hierarchy big fans of the Red Bull way of working.
Hasenhuttl is named alongside West Brom boss Carlos Corberan by Mark Douglas in the i, who wrote in his Monday evening report (6 February): “Early contenders to replace Marsch include Carlos Corberan, the West Brom head coach who was one of Marcelo Bielsa’s assistants and Ralph Hasenhuttl, who came through the same RB Leipzig culture that Leeds admire.”
Surely not
Hasenhuttl was sacked by Southampton because he was unable to turn the ship around on the south coast so it would be a pretty uninspiring appointment for Whites fans to see him take over at Elland Road.
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The Red Bull links make a certain amount of sense given that the club have spent heavily stocking the squad with players from Salzburg and Leipzig for Marsch to work with.
But they would surely need to be very confident that it was an issue with Southampton that meant things went sour for 55-year-old, and not his long-term suitability for the Premier League.
His 11th-placed finish with the Saints in the 2019/20 season was reasonably impressive, but other than that he has finished 16th and 15th, lost 9-0 twice, and been sacked with his club in the relegation zone.
That is not to trash him as a manager, but if Leeds United are looking to escape the drop zone now and consolidate themselves somewhere in mid-table going forward it isn’t a record that suggests he is the man to do it, although Hoffenheim clearly saw something they liked as he is reportedly also a top candidate to take over there [Florian Plettenberg, 6 February].
The previous two appointments were not the expected names so it may be that the decision-makers have a surprise candidate lined up for their quick appointment, as surely the former Southampton man doesn’t fit the bill this time.
In other Leeds United news, Victor Orta was overruled by those in charge at the club amid disagreements behind the scenes.