Gabriele Marcotti has predicted that Leeds United won’t be dismissing Jesse Marsch if they lose their fight against Premier League relegation this season.
Leeds are in massive trouble after losing 3-0 to Chelsea at Elland Road on Wednesday night.
The 18th-placed Whites are in the relegation zone on goal difference, but Burnley, in 17th, have a game in hand over the West Yorkshire outfit.
Relegation into the Championship is a distinct possibility for a United side that have lost Dan James and Luke Ayling to red cards in each of the last two games.
The pressure is beginning to show within the Leeds squad and it has to be said that Marsch’s troops really aren’t coping well with it.
However, journalist Marcotti has predicted on ESPN that the Elland Road club’s hierarchy won’t be firing their American manager – who only replaced Marcelo Bielsa in March – if they do indeed succumb to relegation.
He said on ESPN: “They like Marsch. They understand that they’ve had injuries and I think the goal is to try and come back up with Jesse Marsch at the helm. That said, it’s football and anything can happen. Don’t blame me if he’s gone in July.”
Leeds United relegation
This scenario would devastate the entire city, given how long it took them to win Premier League promotion again.
Sixteen years elapsed between Leeds’ relegation in 2004 and Bielsa bringing them back to the promised land two years ago.
Bielsa’s side were immense last season and even beat Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, ultimately finishing ninth.
But injuries have been unkind to Leeds this time around but even without the absentees, the Whites’ recruitment has been horrendous and that, more than the injuries, is perhaps the leading reason behind their perilous situation.
When Marsch – who earns £80,000 per week – was hired, it was for the long term and Marcotti is more than likely right in saying that he won’t be disposed of this quickly.
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