Twelve competitive games is nowhere near enough to be sold on a head coach at a football club and Jesse Marsch knows that at Leeds United. The American was walking into a very challenging situation when he arrived in late February with a dozen matches in which to keep an ailing side in the division.
Not only was Marsch hamstrung by injuries, suspensions, limited time for new tactics and a stressful on-pitch environment, but he had to follow one of the club’s most iconic bosses. Marcelo Bielsa ended a 16-year exile from the top flight and found his way onto murals around the county in celebration of his achievements.
Marsch had so much to overcome in those three months, as well as dealing with the stigma around American accents he believes exists in the European game. And yet, somehow, with the odds overwhelmingly stacked against them on the final day, Marsch delivered safety.
