Jesse Marsch had a large mountain to climb when he took over as Leeds United manager in March, but the American coach and his players can now breathe a major sigh of relief.
Leeds United secured its English Premier League status for the 2022-23 season after earning a 2-1 win over Brentford in its season finale on Sunday. Paired with Burnley’s 2-1 home defeat to Newcastle United, the Yorkshire club avoided a drop back into the EFL Championship.
Rapinha’s 56th minute penalty-kick paired with Jack Harrison’s stoppage time winner, propelled Leeds into 17th place and three points clear of the relegation zone. Sergi Canos’ drew Brentford level in the 78th minute, but Harrison’s eighth league goal of the season in the 94th minute boosted Leeds out of the bottom three.
Marsch took over at Leeds United on March 5 following Marcelo Bielsa’s firing after a three-year stay at the club. The 48-year-old registered a 4-3-5 record during his 12 league matches in charge at Elland Road, finishing the season with 15 points earned out of a possible 36.
“It was an incredible 12 games, three months,” Marsch said in a post match club interview. “I knew the task was going to be monumental, but when you’re in the middle of it, you’re just trying to do the best you can. In the last three months what you saw the most was the resolve and the character of the team, it’s something we’re always going to need to have going forward.”
Leeds United will now enter a busy summer with several roster moves likely on the horizon. Current U.S. men’s national team attacker Brenden Aaronson has previously been linked with a move to Leeds United, which would give Marsch a young, energetic talent to build around for next season.
this is so cool!
Yeah, he’s Canadian. I should have said “MLS guys” instead of “Americans” since there’s several non-Americans playing MLS I’d take a look at.
The top of MLS is certainly at least mid-to-bottom-level EPL good in terms of quality. There’s certainly at least a dozen guys scattered through MLS who have the ability to play in the Prem. (I’d say maybe less than half of ’em are American.)
And the problem with Leeds is, they really can’t afford a “proven” player, they’re going to have to shop smartly and scout well…as they did with Harrison, who was an unproven loanee from Man City-via-NYCFC when they got him.
(Sorry, this was in reply to vacqui down below.)
Leeds needs defensive help.
Zimmerman and Robinson could help address that need, but they may be more than Leeds is willing to spend.
Word is Salzburg are selling Aaronson to Leeds. Marsch wouldn’t make that purchase without a plan for his prodigy.
Leeds has some good attacking pieces. They need to retool their backline because those defenders are not EPL level.
Congrats on Jesse Marsh for keeping Leeds in the Premier League……and coaching for a club that refuses to spend on getting good players. Marsh had to work with Marcelo Bielsa’s selection / group of players but still pulled it off, and in this last Leeds vs Brentford game, you can tell that his players have started to believe and buy in to what he is trying to do.
Hope for the 2023 season he will have more room to work with, and that he will be able “shop” MLS (like Jack Harrison) and USMNT players!!
Aaronson has been mentioned with Leeds for awhile. Transfermkt had at 62% likely on their last rating April 2. I think it would be higher now that they stayed up. Phillips likely to be sold but the Adams/Marsch reunion didn’t go so well with RBL so I’m not sure on that one. I’m not sure on going straight from MLS to EPL, Harrison had a couple years in the Championship to season. I can’t think of a guy I’d pick this season to go straight from MLS except Turner.
Good for Jesse Marsch. Tough situation but he got it done and now he’ll have the ability to strengthen and build. Definitely is refreshing to see an American coach NOT immediately crash out because he was behind the 8-ball from the beginning as Bob Bradley was and Marsch himself was at the beginning of the season with Red Bull after they sold so many of his key players.
This could represent opportunity for a lot of American players, since Marsch will be very familiar with who from the top end of MLS would have the ability to help him. Just off the top of my head I’d immediately call Walker Zimmerman, Tajon Buchanon – yeah, I know he’s at Brugge now – Jesus Ferreira, Djorde Mihailovic, Jeremy Ebobisse, and maybe even Cade Cowell up as guys who might could help Leeds next year.
I like that idea of Walker Zimmerman and Djorde Mihailovic going to Leeds, actually. Both deserve a shot in Europe.
Boy I’m not sure if any of those guys are ready to contribute in EPL. I’d rate Buchanan as the best chance. And I like all those players. At this point in the cycle I don’t want anyone moving above Dutch, Belgian, Portugal level.
Dunno man. Keep in mind Deandre Yedlin had 112 appearances for Newcastle from 2016-2021. The Prem is a very tough league, for certain, but the guys who play in it are not supermen…just the dudes at the very top of it. You just need some kind of exceptional characteristic and limited athleticism or too-limited skill will get you exposed. What would concern me about, say, Fereirra would be his smallish size and his lack of pace, I think that could limit him and he’d definitely have to be more of a winger/10 like he was with Dallas before they got Pepi; he wouldn’t be a striker. Cowell’s still a little raw but his pace and incredible athleticism would be a fit in the Prem. Mihailovic is apparently already getting looks from Leeds, Everton, and Newcastle, so that’s not really my suggestion. And I know Zimmerman personally, that dude is a hyper-competitive warrior savage and an incredible athlete and he’d be more than capable. (I remember telling everybody who’d listen he was the USA’s best CB…even when he was out of flavor with the Nats.) Ebobisse would have an adjustment period for sure but he’s got the upside.
Yeah, Yedlin still played 11 minutes that first season (although Spurs better team than Leeds). Took really until mid-year to really lock down his spot with Sunderland too. For me I’m concerned about the physicality of the EPL for Aaronson, Mihailovic, and Ferreira .
Isn’t Tajon a Canadian?
Either way, he’s not at the level of Jack Harrison.
Leeds need more proven players not “projects” which is what most of the MLS players mentioned would be.