Jesse Marsch not keen on taking the limelight after Leeds fans sing his name - Independent 10/4/22
The Whites have claimed 10 points from their last 12 in their Premier League survival bid
Ed Elliot
Jesse Marsch is loving life at Leeds United but eager to
avoid hogging the limelight after supporters sang his name during Saturday’s
3-0 win at Watford.
Marsch’s men secured breathing space in the scrap for
Premier League survival following goals from Raphinha, Rodrigo and Jack
Harrison at Vicarage Road.
Many Leeds followers were dismayed when fans’ favourite
Marcelo Bielsa was dismissed in late February but a sold-out away end chanted
the name of his successor during a significant success over relegation rivals.
American Marsch – who has masterminded 10 points from the
last 12 available – was touched by the vocal backing but keen to focus
attention on the club’s collective achievements.
“I don’t think it was the first time (they have sung my
name),” he said.
“But, to be honest with you, I appreciate it; I appreciate
our fans so much. I love being here in Leeds, I love the area, the city, the
people. My family and I are really enjoying our time here.
“So much of my emphasis is on the team and us as a group and
what we’re about and how we’re going to achieve things together and any time
that it draws attention to me, I don’t necessarily like it.
“But I do want to show appreciation to the fans for reaching
out to me.
“What’s most important is that they – which they do
amazingly – understand that we’re a real group, a team, a club that wants to
represent the city and play football that they can be proud of – that’s what
matters the most to me.”
Leeds have a break of more than a fortnight before
travelling to Crystal Palace on Monday, April 25.
Marsch expects the relegation picture to have changed
markedly by then and emphatically brushed off suggestions his side’s current
tally of 33 points will be sufficient for safety.
Asked if they were still in the battle to avoid the drop, he
replied “Yeah. Everyone’s getting results around us.
“People in Leeds tell me we have to fight for everything and
I’ve said already that I’m OK with that.
“Especially with this 16-day break now, it would have been
really difficult to sit and watch the table knowing that we didn’t pick up the
points that we wanted in this game. And things are going to get tight.
“By the time we play against Palace, the table will be tight
again. We just have to stay focused on us – I’ve said that a million times now
but that’s the most important thing.”
Marsch hopes the intermission before the Selhurst Park trip
will help boost the fitness of some of his squad, including Kalvin Phillips.
England midfielder Phillips has made successive substitute
appearances following a hamstring problem sustained in December after playing
31 minutes in Hertfordshire.
“Kalvin, he’s close to starting,” said Marsch. “I think
we’ll use the next two weeks to get him fitter and stronger and healthier and
ready to go for Palace.”
Second-bottom Watford were booed off after a ninth
consecutive home defeat – their longest losing streak in front of their own
supporters since the 1971-72 season.
Hornets manager Roy Hodgson believes his squad are not as
dispirited as some of those on the terraces ahead of hosting Brentford next
weekend.
“I don’t know that the mood amongst the players is that bad
but the mood amongst the fans, I guess, is pretty bad because they keep coming
here expecting their team to win and it doesn’t win,” said Hodgson.
“But the mood amongst the players in actual fact isn’t as
bad as all that and I think any fair-minded person who watched the game
wouldn’t put our defeat down to any lack of belief or effort or desire.
“Confidence comes from winning football matches and we don’t
win matches, so how do you get that? There’s no words that are going to change
that.”