Michael Owen thinks it’s ‘frustrating’ for Weston McKennie that Jesse Marsch was sacked by Leeds United soon after he signed for the Premier League club.
During the latter stages of the January transfer window, McKennie, 24, secured a loan deal to Leeds from Juventus and joined many of his fellow countrymen in Yorkshire.
But after just one substitute appearance against Nottingham Forest from the USMNT international, Marsch was booted out of the door after two wins from 17.
On paper, the former RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig coach can’t argue too much, but for McKennie, he hardly got to spend a week on the training ground with Marsch.
It’s the normal occurrence in football now, some teams end up having more managers than there are transfer windows over a yearly period.
But those who take to the dugout already know that before they sign on the dotted line, as Michael Owen shared how he had a not-too-dissimilar experience to McKennie when he joined Real Madrid many moons ago, as he told Premier League Productions (08/02/23 at 7:40 pm).
“He has experience at the top level,” said Owen. “It is somewhat frustrating when a manager goes and buys you (and then is sacked).
“It happened to me when I went to Spain and signed for Real Madrid. The manager was gone about three after weeks after I joined.
“It happens in football and happens more so nowadays. There is more change. You should have to accept that and win people over the whole of your career, whether that’s fans, managers or teammates. There will be changes throughout your career, so get used to that.
“It happens more in modern football. It’s not ideal. But what an opportunity now for McKennie to impress whoever the next manager is.”
MCKENNIE LOOKING FOR BACK-TO-BACK STARTS
Well, life after Marsch started with a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford, in which McKennie was handed his first start.
It was a blistering opening from the Whites because they opened the scoring inside the first two minutes, only to blow a two-goal lead in the second half.
Now McKennie will be aiming for back-to-back starts for his new club when Manchester United visit Elland Road on Sunday for another blockbuster showdown between these two heavyweights.
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