‘In three years, we will have the best academy in Europe’ — Leeds head coach Jesse Marsch - The Athletic 9/5/22
By Jacob Whitehead
Jesse Marsch has claimed Leeds United will have the best
academy in Europe within three years.
Marsch, 48, replaced Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds on February 28.
Leeds are currently embroiled in a relegation battle, sitting 17th in the
Premier League.
They are level on points with Burnley, who lead Leeds on
goal difference, and two points clear of 18th place Everton — but the
Merseyside club hold a game in hand.
Speaking on Sky Sports, Marsch insisted that he could keep
the club in the Premier League, and insisted he had not considered relegation.
“Right now, my focus is singularly on doing what we can to
make sure that we stay in the Premier League,” the American said. “I haven’t
allowed myself to even open the door about what if it doesn’t go well, because
that doesn’t help, right?”
Pressed on what his long-term plans were for Leeds, and what
the club would look like in three years, Marsch replied: “It looks like the best
academy in Europe, with young players that are playing in the first-team
consistently, where we’re competing for Europe consistently, with our process
of developing players from the academy into the first-team.
“In the process, we’re also creating world class players who
can perform here, but also can help us financially by selling them to the most
massive clubs for massive amounts of money, and then reinvesting that into the
infrastructure of the club until we get to the point five or 10 years from now
when we can really talk about competing for titles and being one of the best
teams in Europe. That’s the goal.”
The Leeds academy has been tested on several occasions this
season due to a lengthy injury list. It has traditionally been a hotbed of
player development, producing players such James Milner, Gary Speed, and David
Batty.
In recent years, Kalvin Phillips is the headline graduate,
while there are high hopes for 16-year-old midfielder Archie Gray. Last month,
21,321 streamed into Elland Road for the last home game of Leeds’ Premier
League 2 season.
The senior side play Arsenal at the Emirates on Sunday
afternoon, and could go 16th with a surprise win.
What else has Marsch revealed about his Leeds vision?
Last month, Marsch spoke to The Athletic’s Phil Hay about
his goals for the club.
“My aim is to build a playing philosophy similar to what
I’ve developed over the years and to integrate the academy in a way that can
impact our playing model as well as our business model,” he said. “Year by
year, step by step, I want to take the club closer to competing for trophies.
That has to be our goal.
“It’s not easy, especially in a league like this, but that’s
at the core of every decision we’re making. So, in the short term, stay in the
league. Then, long term, build it piece by piece. And by that, I mean continue
to build because a lot of really good things were done before I came. I
wouldn’t want it to seem otherwise.”
