RB Leipzig has endured a disappointing Bundesliga season, and a three-match losing streak in league play proved to be the last straw for American manager Jesse Marsch.
Marsch was relieved of his duties as manager following Friday’s 2-1 loss to Union Berlin, the club announced Sunday. Assistant coach Achim Beierlorzer takes over as interim coach following Marsch’s release.
“It was not easy for us to part company with Jesse Marsch, because I hold Jesse in high regard as a person and as a coach,” Leipzig CEO Oliver Mintzlaff said. “It is a shame that things did not work out as we had hoped with this setup, and that this step has now become necessary. Unfortunately, the development we were hoping for and the results needed to achieve our goals for the season have not been achieved.
“I would like to thank Jesse Marsch for the work he has done and wish him all the best, both personally and professionally,” Mintzlaff added.
Marsch leaves after 21 matches managed at RB Leipzig, posting a 8-9-4 record across all competitions. RB Leipzig did not advance out of the UEFA Champions League group stage, albeit being paired with defending Premier League winners Manchester City and French giants Paris Saint-Germain.
RB Leipzig has lost its last three matches in league play and currently sits in 11th place with only five victories from its opening 14 matches. Marsch has not been on the sidelines as he continues to recover from COVID-19, but saw RB Leipzig suffered its first head-to-head defeat to Union Berlin since 2014.
The club closes out group stage play on Tuesday against Manchester City looking to claim a third-place finish and a spot in the Europa League Round of 32.
Marsch, has if nothing else, shown he can take a long view. When he parted with Montreal, he did not take the first job that came up. Instead he and his family took some time to explore the world before returning to NJ where he served as an assistant coach at PU before signing on at the NY Red Bulls head coach. There are a bunch of rather complementary articles about him personally as well as professionally when he was in NJ. They are not hard to find.
@Jesse Marsch, I’m sorry to hear the bummer news at RB Leipzig. Hopefully, you’ll bounce right back up and will be able to manage another team in Europe very soon. All the best!
Too bad Chicago Fire JUST hired a manager
OK here’s our Berhalter replacement let’s jump on it!!!!!
Short of a rapid melt-down which none of us should want the year going into WC- it’s not going to happen. GBs not going anywhere. Marsch will grow more as a manager fighting it out in European soccer than coddled in the womb of US Soccer. And… US Soccer probably better served long term if we can start getting coaches integrated into top leagues as well. Be great to see him grab a good spot with a good club- succeed. Revisit national team next cycle.
Marsch fired because he couldn’t adapt his players to his system. Yes we should bring him to manage the NT where 2 of the regulars skill sets would fit Marsch’s system. Yeah makes sense! Jesse was put in a difficult situation by RB but anyone that thinks he’d magically solve NT problems is living in fantasy land. He’d just create different ones and use different regulars that fans wouldn’t rate.
Can’t watch Bundesliga games now that they are no longer on Fox, but at first glance I’m not sure what they expected of him after selling all of their best players.
Yeah- my thoughts exactly. Wasn’t exactly set up for success was he? To let the players go they have without replacements and then expect similar results is rather silly. Hopefully Marsch finds another opportunity- sure he will.
They sold half the team and drew a group of death in the UCL. Still, it was up and down, and you’d expect them to win some of the games they lost. More league losses than wins and 11th in the table by the winter break is sackable for most clubs accustomed to the top 4-6 spots.
I forgot which exec but one of the RBL guys said basically that. They wanted him to implement the old style of RBL play but with players that had been brought in to play Nagelsman’s way. Feels like RBL knows it’s unfair but that they had to do something.
I hope he can remain in Europe. It would be a shame if he heads back to MLS.