Leeds United should be breathing a sigh of relief after it was reported that Jesse Marsch’s talks with Southampton have broken down.
Marsch’s time at Leeds, of course, ended in disappointment there was reason to believe that had he taken the reins at Southampton, the Saints could have posed a significant threat to Leeds, as well as other teams in the relegation battle.
In football, the new manager bounce is a common phenomenon. When a team gets a new gaffer, the players often play with renewed energy and enthusiasm, hoping to impress their new boss.
This phenomenon could have worked in Marsch’s favour if he had become the new Southampton gaffer, and with a game away at Elland Road just two weeks away, Marsch would’ve been in the perfect position to steer his team to victory away at Leeds.
Think about it, who knows this Leeds squad better than Marsch? He knows all of their strengths and weaknesses. Combine that with the new manager bounce he’d have had at Southampton and you have to make the Saints favourites for that relegation six-pointer later this month.
In the long-term Marsch’s high-intensity, attacking style of football would have been perfect for the Saints too. After all, he is from the Red Bull school of thought – the same as Ralph Hasenhuttl who had plenty of success on the south coast.
However, Leeds can now focus on their upcoming fixtures without the added pressure of playing against their former manager.
With the relegation battle hotting up, every point is crucial, and Leeds will need to start picking up points, especially against the other sides in danger of going down.
Luckily for Leeds, Southampton may be less of a threat for the time being, and while it remains to be seen who they do appoint, there may not have been a manager better-equipped to go and win that crunch clash at Elland Road in a fortnight’s time.
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