Here are the latest Leeds United evening headlines on Friday, 21 October.
Struijk call-up
Leeds United defender Pascal Struijk has been named in Netherlands' provisional 39-man squad for the World Cup later this year. Struijk is yet to be capped by his nation but has enjoyed a strong individual start to the season with Leeds.
The 23-year-old was also named in Louis van Gaal's provisional squad for the international break in September earlier this season, though he was eventually omitted from that. Netherlands have a plethora of top centre backs Struijk has to compete with at international level but his performances at left back in recent months could hand him an advantage when van Gaal names his final squad in the coming weeks.
Marsch future
Sacking Jesse Marsch is not currently on Leeds United’s agenda, LeedsLive understands. The message from the top of the club through to the bottom remains one of unity as everyone gets behind the embattled head coach.
READ MORE: Select your Leeds United XI for Fulham clash as Jesse Marsch faces huge selection calls
The Whites boss has overseen a winless run of seven matches with two points from an available 21 in a series of results which make this a worse start than last year under Marcelo Bielsa. However, encouragement in the manner of Sunday’s loss to Arsenal outweighs drab nights like Thursday in Leicester for the club’s power brokers.
Since Marsch’s Leeds zenith against Chelsea, the club have trundled through poor result after poor result, with some displays better than others. Andrea Radrizzani and the board are understood to feel luck has been against their side in some games and the law of averages says that must change.
Read more here.
Marsch on chants
Angry chants from Leeds United’s supporters impact the players, but Jesse Marsch accepts the fan base can express itself however it wishes. The embattled Whites boss also acknowledged the calls from the away corner for Marcelo Bielsa at Leicester City.
At several points during the loss in the East Midlands, the away contingent in the corner would voice their anger with what they were watching. There were boos at half-time, the substitution of Luis Sinisterra triggered questions and then the choruses for Bielsa grew louder in the closing stages.
Asked whether chants like those can impact the players ahead of Sunday’s game with Fulham, Marsch admitted they would, but fans were well within their rights to say what they wanted, especially when it came to a club legend like his predecessor.
“It does impact the players,” he said. “If it's fair enough, that doesn't really matter. They can express their opinion however they want. The only one I really heard that was bad or that was for Marcelo Bielsa and I'm okay with that. I'm okay with the fact Marcelo is a club legend."
Read more from Marsch here.
READ NEXT:
- National media round-up as Leicester City 'turn up the heat' on Jesse Marsch and Leeds United
- Marco Silva purrs over 'top level' Fulham performance ahead of Leeds United clash
- 'Stick together' - Brenden Aaronson preaches unity after Leeds United beaten by Leicester City
- Every word Jesse Marsch said on his Leeds United future, the fans' reaction and changes
- Jesse Marsch's 23-match slide will not command the same Leeds United patience Marcelo Bielsa enjoyed
