The decision to relieve Marcelo Bielsa of his duties at Leeds United has split opinion outside the club’s fanbase.
Supporters at Elland Road have struggled to come to terms with his exit so far while neutrals have tried to construct a more balanced judgement.
Plenty of pundits have passed on their assessments of the decision to remove Bielsa from his position as head coach as well as the decision to hire Jesse Marsch as his replacement.
Unsurprisingly, it was one of the main topics of discussion on talkSPORT breakfast this morning.
Alongside host Laura Woods, Ally McCoist and Darren Bent made up the rest of the panel and both former players were surprised by the decision with the latter claiming the hierarchy at Elland Road were thinking more about finances.
“I loved watching him play and watching Leeds play because you knew what you were going to get: end-to-end action,” said Bent.
“You look at some of the results, I know they’ve been battered a few times this season, you look at some of the big performances they’ve put in this season and last. They went to [Manchester] City and beat them with 10 men, they’ve been really, really good to watch.
“But I guess the owners haven’t really listened to the supporters because, if they had, then he’d still be in charge.
“They’ve obviously thought more about their pockets that, if they do go down, the money they’re going to lose which I understand but I’m just sad that he’s not going to be in the Premier League anymore.”
The former England striker doesn’t believe Leeds’ hopes of Premier League survival or strengthened or worsened by the appointment of Marsch.
He added: “I give them as much hope [of staying up] as I did when Bielsa was in charge if I’m honest because he’s engrained a style of football in them which is going to take some time to change.
“I think it’s a risk because if they’d have gone for someone who’s got Premier League experience and has got the pedigree to come into arguably the toughest league in the world, you’d go ‘okay’.
“I think the hangover [from Bielsa’s departure] is going to take a little bit of time.”
McCoist looked into the big task that faces Marsch between now and the end of the season with 12 games left for Leeds this term.
“They’re all big games for Leeds now, it doesn’t matter who they are playing, they’re all big,” said the 59-year-old. “I don’t know an awful lot [about Marsch], I know his background, clearly.
“In his interview there, he’s saying the right things because he does appreciate that Marcelo Bielsa did a fantastic job at Leeds initially and he moved everyone forward, helped everybody in the city.
“It sounds as though he knows that and he’s well aware of that, as you’d expect and he just wants to hopefully continue the good work.
“I actually think they’re going to have to be more defensive, particularly when they’re playing [teams like] Liverpool and Manchester City.
“They’re going to have to do something different. I loved watching Leeds, I loved their style and their freedom and the fearless approach however nine times out of 10, if you go and take on teams with better players, they’ll beat you.”
Marsch will be hoping to get off to the perfect start when he takes his new side to King Power Stadium in Saturday’s early kick-off against Leicester.
