Speaking to BBC Sport, Patrick Bamford has shared his feelings towards Jesse Marsch after he was sacked by Leeds United.
There were murmurs of unrest between the striker and his former manager after he seemed to question his tactics after a loss to Nottingham Forest earlier this month, but according to Bamford, that couldn’t be further from the truth.
Indeed, Bamford says that he actually got on very well with Marsch during his time at Elland Road, stating that he actually apologised to the American when he left due to his lack of fitness during his time at the club.
Bamford apologised to Marsch
Bamford shared the details of the conversation he had with Marsch.
“I text him after we had the news and said exactly that – I felt sorry as you have never had me fully fit, I just wished him well and stuff. I got on well with him.
“The thing that annoyed me after the Forest game was everyone turned what I said as if I was having a go at his tactics and actually what I had said is exactly what he had told us to do, we just weren’t doing it.
“I was being more kind of like, I was actually kind of being self-deprecating towards my own performance. That was down to me, that wasn’t anything to do with Jesse.
“Contrary to a few things in the press I actually got on well with him. We’re sad to see him go and sad that it ended that way for him, but we wish him well for wherever he goes next.”
What could have been
Bamford apologised to Marsch because he couldn’t stay fit, and while that wasn’t his fault per say, one has to imagine that it did contribute to Marsch’s downfall.
Simply put, Leeds can look like a different team when Bamford is on the pitch, and if he could’ve played more often, perhaps Marsch would still be in the job.
Sadly, fitness is out of a player’s control sometimes, and Marsch was just dealt a bad hand when it came to Bamford.
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