Bielsa on brink at Leeds, Marsch in line to replace him
There is a growing expectation that Marcelo Bielsa will be leaving his position as head coach of Leeds United.
A final discussion is yet to take place but the Argentine’s departure is now understood to be increasingly likely.
The firm favourite to be appointed as his successor is Jesse Marsch, who most recently managed RB Leipzig in Germany.
Leeds suffered a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur at Elland Road on Saturday, after they were beaten 6-0 at Anfield by Liverpool on Wednesday.
Sources say that Bielsa’s position at Leeds has been under heightened consideration since that heavy loss at Liverpool, and Leeds were again a distant second best on Saturday.
Marsch is thought to have been among the candidates to replace Bielsa if a change was to be made in the summer, but those plans could now be escalated.
Marsch, a former United States international, previously managed MLS sides Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls. He moved to Red Bull Salzburg in 2019 and led the Austrian club to a league and cup double in two consecutive seasons.
He was then appointed by RB Leipzig to replace Julian Nagelsmann last summer — but was sacked after just four months in charge having won just five games out of 14 this season.
He remains highly rated within the game, however, and Leeds hope he will lead them up the Premier League table and away from trouble. Leeds currently sit 15th in the table.
It remains possible that Bielsa, 66, could yet to decide to walk away from the club of his own volition. His departure will be complicated for Leeds to manage, given that he has a complex contract and pays his own backroom staff, meaning the club must yet work out how to pay them off.
The club would also have to move quickly to replace his backroom team, especially considering the club’s increasingly precarious position in the Premier League.
Bielsa replaced Paul Heckingbottom as Leeds head coach in June 2018 and led the club back into the Premier League after 16 years away in his second season at Elland Road.
Leeds impressed in the Premier League last season, finishing ninth. But they have won just five league matches this time around, picking up one point from their past six matches.
https://theathletic.com/news/bielsa-on-brink-at-leeds-marsch-in-line-to-replace-him/s61YRM7qO3oG/[ 此帖被羅力亞在2022-02-27 19:20重新編輯 ]
