Victor Orta admires Marcelo Gallardo for next Leeds United manager – Phil Hay
Victor Orta is an admirer of former River Plate manager Marcelo Gallardo as the Leeds United board look to appoint Jesse Marsch’s successor, according to Phil Hay.
Marsch was sacked on Monday (6 February) after the Whites suffered yet another disappointing Premier League defeat, this time at the hands of Nottingham Forest.
Gallardo, a former Argentina international, is currently out of work after leaving River Plate and Hay has suggested the 47-year-old is highly rated by Leeds’ sporting director.
“The indications at this stage are that Leeds are targeting head coaches in work and anticipate that the choice they settle on is likely to involve negotiations with the candidate’s existing club,” wrote Hay (The Athletic, 7 February).
“Victor Orta is a known admirer of Marcel Gallardo, the former manager of River Plate where he took charge for eight years, but Gallardo is taking time out after leaving River Plate in October and would prefer his next job to start ahead of a full campaign, rather than in the middle of one.”
Quickly does it
A quick appointment will be absolutely vital for the board. The two fixtures against Manchester United can be viewed as a free hit considering both teams’ form. However, the following matches against Everton and Southampton will be season-defining.
Ensuring a new man is in the dugout for both will be crucial. We’ve seen before what a fresh face can do in the short term, and an improved run of form would be ideal to steady the ship at Elland Road. Gallardo looks like a realistic appointment, with the 47-year-old currently out of a job. However, it appears a summer move would be more plausible from the Argentinian’s perspective.
Carlos Corberan looks like the best choice at the moment, with the West Brom manager having close ties to the club, whilst also impressing in his latest role at The Hawthorns.
Whoever does step into the role will desperately need an immediate upturn in form to prevent this season from slipping into a nightmare.
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