logo
logo
Los Angeles Galaxy's captain David Beckham (2nd L) confronts Chivas USA's Jesse Marsch (2nd R) after Marsch's robust tackle on Beckham during their 3-0 Major League Soccer defeat to Chivas. Home Depot Centre, Carson, California, August 23, 2007.

Jesse Marsch was MLS’s sh*thouse in chief – of course he’s right for Leeds

“What I’ve tried to say to [Jack Harrison] is that it’s okay to be a good young man and a son of a bitch on the pitch,” said Jesse Marsch just a couple of weeks after being appointed as Leeds United manager.

It’s not what was expected of a man that looked like he’d be pulled out of leading a LinkedIn seminar to dig Leeds out of a ditch. The air of your school’s most affable maths teacher being drafted in to coach the rugby team and overcompensating to fit the brief.

Predecessor Marcelo Bielsa’s stoic, get-on-with-it-and-say-no-more-than-is-strictly-necessary attitude always seemed more in tune with the naturally gloomy regional identity of the Yorkshire city than Marsch, a man who never lost his sense of positivity and never seemed to stop talking as Leeds unconvincingly scrapped their way to survival last term.

There was a stark contrast between a glorious recent past and a distressfully uncertain future. Marsch’s schtick wore thin with some as a culture war raged within a chronically damaged fanbase. For the non-believers, it felt like the nightmare scenario of your miserable workplace bringing in a self-actualisation guru.

Many cringed at the coach’s Brentish use of Gandhi and Mother Theresa quotes, but have you seen Mikel Arteta and Pep Guardiola behind the scenes on All Or Nothing? Corny managerialism genuinely seems to do the trick as a motivation tool for this generation of players. There’s a strong argument that Marsch’s relentlessly optimistic, uniquely American, manner is exactly what a down-and-out Leeds squad needed.

Ultimately, the football questions are most important. Masterminding a blinding 3-0 victory over Chelsea might’ve seen Neil Warnock, Steve Evans or even Brian Clough win over the fans.

And as Marsch wins over the doubters by instilling what looks like an effective style of football built in his own image, his character looks less of an awkward fit with each passing week.

What’s gradually becoming obvious is that the spiky elements of Marsch’s persona aren’t an act of overcompensation. They’re genuine. And they’re Leeds.

From his heated arguments with Wolves boss Bruno Lage to refusing to play the diplomat as Thomas Tuchel escaped a touchline ban at Elland Road, it’s clear that Marsch is not one to shirk a fight.

“It’s fine, I think I maybe got too many red cards as a player and was tossed too many times as a coach, so I’m used to just accepting the fate,” the Leeds boss said ahead of the 3-0 victory over Tuchel’s Blues.

“I don’t think it’s right that he should be able to appeal but whatever, he’s on the bench, we’ll be ready, let’s play the game.”

As a player, Marsch was a battler. He received 68 bookings and two red cards during his MLS career. Surprisingly, one of those red cards wasn’t for a brutal lunge on David Beckham.

The former England captain had just arrived at LA Galaxy and was making one of his first appearances for the club. It was his home MLS debut, in fact, while Marsch’s Chivas USA came to spoil the party.

In the closing stages of the first half, Beckham chested the ball down and was bursting through midfield when Marsch brought him down with a brutal kick in the nuts. Pure David Batty. The kind of challenge that Kalvin Phillips used to make before Bielsa smoothed out his rough edges.

Beckham, working his way back from injury, was incensed. He got straight back up and into Marsch’s face, sparking a brawl that saw both sides reduced to 10 men. Marsch escaped with a booking.

“He kind of got a piece of me the play before that and so it was somewhat of a retaliation, somewhat of a tactical foul because he was on the break,” he said.

“It was harder than I would have liked it to have been. I apologised to him and I told him I respect what he’s about. He was kind of done with me though.”

Early in Marsch’s coaching career, he stood up and faced a group of angry New York Red Bulls fans that were incensed that he – a fledgling, unproven coach – was replacing the incredibly popular Mike Petke.

“Believe it or not, I love this passion,” Marsch told the unconvinced fans at a town hall meeting following his appointment in 2015.

“There’s a lot of clubs in this league that would have none of this. I know how privileged I am to be the coach of this team. I’m excited to be here. I know I have a huge challenge ahead of me.”

He would go on to become one of the most successful coaches in the Red Bulls’ history and is now Major League Soccer’s most accomplished export. That experience has proven vital in the unenviable task of succeeding Bielsa at Leeds.

For Marsch’s wildly aggressive counter-pressing game plan to work, the players need to believe in their boss. Fortunately, they’ve got someone that has shown he’ll always fight for his club, be it on the touchline or the pitch.

By Nestor Watach


QUIZ: Can you name the top 30 goalscorers in Major League Soccer history?