Chris Sutton thinks it’s a bit ‘knee-jerk’ that Jesse Marsch should be replaced at Leeds United, and that possibly with struggling Chelsea boss, Graham Potter.
That was put to the former Chelsea striker on BBC Radio 5 Live on 606 by a Leeds fan, who is unhappy with the direction Marsch is taking the club.
Leeds forced an FA Cup replay against Championship side Cardiff City on Sunday, when they came from 2-0 down to record a 2-2 draw, whilst Potter watched his Chelsea team humiliated at Manchester City.
That’s the second time this week the London club have lost to Pep Guardiola’s men, as pressure mounts on the former Brighton man in the dugout.
In truth, it wouldn’t be a surprise if, by the end of the season, both Marsch and Potter are out of jobs, that’s how delicate their situations are.
But when the future of Marsch, and possibly replacing him with Potter, was put to Chris Sutton, he issued the following response.
“Over Jesse Marsch?” asked Sutton. “Are you not marching in the right direction?”
Leeds fan: “I really like, Jesse. I think the players are behind him. I think he is a good man-manager. The players believe in him. But, tactically, I just don’t know – we have some great young players, who need to be coached to the top level. He hasn’t got the pedigree. Someone like Graham Potter, has done it in the Premier League, he has made Brighton a really good team and that’s why Chelsea went for him.”
Sutton responded: “Are you going early on Jesse Marsch, though?! Well, he kept Leeds in the Premier League last season. I think he did a really good job.
“But you did stay in the Premier League. We have to give him credit for that because when he went in, it was looking pretty precarious, wasn’t it?! Then, this season, 17 points and 17 games. It’s had its moments and it hasn’t been perfect. Surely, Jesse Marsch deserves longer? That’s knee-jerk.”
MARSCH UNDER PRESSURE
For some, they will argue that Marsch has hardly been in the job for a year, so he should be given more time.
The American did his job last season and that was to keep the Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League, but things aren’t going great guns now.
The question Leeds need to ask is what was the remit at the start of the campaign? Even if Marsch is falling below that, whilst he is under pressure, surely he should be afforded the chance to struggle, so in time, that could help the club move forward, or else, all this chopping and changing will help nobody.
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