Jesse Marsch believes he deserved more time at Leeds United due to the current nature of the Premier League.
Marsch spent just under 12 months in charge at Elland Road and after narrowly guiding Leeds to safety in his first season in charge, was then sacked in February of the following campaign.
Despite having been linked to numerous jobs including Southampton, Leicester City and AS Monaco, Marsch has not yet returned to management, revealing on BBC 5Live’s Football Daily that he needed time to process his exit from Leeds.
Marsch was sacked at Leeds at the beginning of February following a 1-0 defeat at Nottingham Forest, which left the Whites very much in danger of being relegated.
But it was a run of just two wins in 17 matches which was ultimately what saw Marsch sacked, even if in some games Leeds rather unfortunately on the wrong end of a result.
Marsch says you need time at clubs like Leeds
Marsch believes that at clubs like Leeds, managers should be afforded more time in order to build a project as the strength of the division means it will never be an overnight process.
He said: “The truth about the Premier League when you are a club like Leeds with where we were at the time is that it is not just turn key. You are going to need time, you are going to have to develop everything from tactics to mentality to understanding to bravery.
“Then you have to have luck on many days to be effective enough in that league when you are a team at the bottom of the league and pay roll and talent level. But I was never afraid. I always enjoyed the challenge.
“And the unfortunate part was that many games when we were better than the opponent, we didn’t get the points. And in the end if that winds up becoming a trend that that puts pressure on the entire environment and the process, and when there is a lot of money on the line, owners and people feel pressure to make, for me, foolish decisions.
“Decisions which are against the logic and rational of what is being developed or actually happening. But I’m not bitter with anyone. I’m very appreciative of the experience. I think it’s made me a better person and coach, and it’s really provided me now – especially with time and time is important, it’s one of the reasons I didn’t take Southampton or Leicester. Because I felt like I just needed more time to really process what had happened.”
Marsch should’ve been sacked earlier at Leeds
Ultimately Leeds came to the right decision by sacking Marsch, but the timing of it was all wrong. He had just played a key role in bringing in Max Wober, Georginio Rutter and Weston McKennie in January, only to then be sacked one match after the window closed.
Former owner Andrea Radrizzani said himself that it should’ve been done at the beginning of the World Cup break and though that is easy to say with hindsight, he’s not wrong. It would’ve given Leeds enough time to bring someone in.
While Marsch is right in the fact that Leeds is no longer a club that can demand instant success, two wins in 17 league matches is unacceptable and he definitely did deserve sacking.
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