Players as much as anyone know all about the highs and lows that football can bring. One minute you're the man of the moment, the next you can be the forgotten man hoping for another opportunity. The downs can come as swiftly as the ups, with making the most of your moment in the spotlight key.
Willy Gnonto did just that before the World Cup break as he experienced a rapid rise in his importance to Leeds United, only to then go into the league's hiatus on the sour note of being substituted at half-time in the final game at Tottenham Hotspur before the break.
Just days after changing the whole complexion of the game against Bournemouth and impressing in the win at Liverpool, Gnonto saw his first start prematurely ended.
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“It was partly the tactical change,” Marsch said when asked about Gnonto during his post-match press conference at Tottenham, sparing the young player's blushes somewhat, if not totally. “We felt like we wanted to go to more 4-3-3 instead of 4-2-3-1. In general, we really like Willy."
Six weeks on from the agony of the 4-3 defeat at Spurs, Leeds are preparing to return to Premier League action with the tough test of hosting Manchester City on December 28, before what appears to be an equally tough challenge away at Newcastle United on New Year's Eve.
Leeds will check on the fitness of Patrick Bamford, Jack Harrison, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch and Junior Firpo ahead of a City clash which could see Kalvin Phillips back in midfield for the visitors in his first return to Elland Road as a player.
Among the unknowns is what role Gnonto will play against the league champions after he again impressed against Real Sociedad, with assistant Whites boss Rene Maric praising the 19-year-old this week: "Willy’s personality is joyful – he’s very intelligent and speaks four languages to a very high level," said Maric.
"He’s very humble and a really nice guy but still very ambitious and has the confidence to try things. That mixture of characteristics is making it very easy for us to work with him.
“It’s very nice to have such a great human being in your squad and I think that’s one of the factors that will make him a very good player in the future.”
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