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Leeds appoint American Marsch as manager after Bielsa sacking

Football

By Reuters | Mar 01, 2022

**August 20, 2021. RB Leipzig coach Jesse Marsch celebrates after the match** REUTERS

Leeds United have appointed former RB Leipzig boss Jesse Marsch as the new manager to try and salvage their Premier League status after Marcelo Bielsa's sacking, the club said on Monday.

In a statement, the club said Marsch had signed a deal as head coach that will run until June 2025.

Pending international clearance the 48-year-old American's first game in charge will be Saturday's trip to Leicester City.

Argentine Bielsa was sacked on Sunday after a slump in form, culminating in a 4-0 home defeat by Tottenham Hotspur the previous day, left the Yorkshire club hovering just above the Premier League's relegation zone.

Speaking about the appointment, Leeds United Director of Football Victor Orta said: "We are delighted to welcome Jesse to the club and excited for him to lead us into this new chapter.

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"Jesse is someone we identified a number of years ago during his time at Red Bull Salzburg and we believe his philosophy and style of football aligns with that of the club and will suit the players very well."

February 26, 2022 Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa after the match Action Images via Reuters

Marsch, a former U.S. international midfielder, played in the MLS for D.C. United, Chicago Fire and Chivas USA and after hanging up his boots became an assistant with the national team.

His first head coach job was with Montreal Impact in 2012, before joining New York Red Bulls three years later where he was named 2015 MLS Coach of the Year.

After leaving Red Bulls hr joined German Bundesliga side RB Leipzig as assistant to Ralf Rangnick and ahead of the 2019-20 season was named as coach of sister club Red Bull Salzburg with whom he won both the Austrian Bundesliga and Austrian Cup in consecutive seasons.

He returned to RB Leipzig as head coach last summer before parting ways in December.

Marsch faces a tough challenge at Leeds who have been in free fall of late.

A terrible February in which they conceded 20 goals -- the most ever in a month for a Premier League club -- they are in 16th place with 23 points, two points above third-from-bottom Burnley who have played two games less.

Bielsa, appointed in 2018, took Leeds back into the top flight for the first time in 16 years and they finished ninth last season.