The Leeds United history helping Jesse Marsch to one-up his rivals - YEP 20/8/22

Jesse Marsch claims that the history of Leeds United is a key motivator in his day-to-day work as Whites manager.

By Flora Snelson

When Marsch held his first press conference after his appointment in February, many of the questions he faced centred on the nature of his succession which was, to many of the Elland Road faithful, abrupt, and to some, upsetting.

Amid probing enquiries from the media about filling the shoes of a “living legend”, Marcelo Bielsa, was the suggestion that the American was somehow disrupting history, or preventing the ‘correct’ narrative from taking its course.

Though his legacy won’t form until his tenure’s conclusion, Marsch has already earned success at Elland Road which will be remembered for years to come by completing what, at times, looked like an impossible task – steering his side clear of the drop to secure another season in the Premier League.

Only time will tell how great a success he will make of their precious third term – but the omens from their first two run-outs of the campaign have been promising.

Undefeated after two games, United are yet to show signs of another season battling in the basement, and with new signings settling in quickly there’s a sense of ‘the best is yet to come’.

Next, the Whites face Chelsea, who lost just six games on their way to a third-placed finish last season and, like Leeds, are yet to lose a match in this campaign.

On Friday, Blues boss Thomas Tuchel addressed the possibility that a win for his side on Sunday could break a record for the club, who have never won successive games at Elland Road.

"Thanks for telling me," Tuchel told the journalist who raised it, refusing to make more of the chance his team have to create a small moment in history.

Meanwhile in West Yorkshire, Marsch took a similar approach when asked about the club’s long rivalry at his own press conference.

🗣 "You accept it before the match and make the best out of it."https://t.co/cXPHthSeWF #LUFC

— Leeds United News (@LeedsUnitedYEP) August 19, 2022

“Back in the 60s, there was some emotion between what was happening on the pitch - different players and fan bases and there was an incident I think down in Chelsea, right?” Marsch answered.

“That's a long time ago. You'd have to ask Archie [Gray]'s grandfathers and great grandfathers and Archie's great great uncles for those details.”

Just as Marsch was keen to move the conversation on from his predecessor at his initial press conference in March – “I am different, I am my own person and I have my own ways” – the 48-year-old seems determined again to reject a backward-looking approach and detach from Leeds-Chelsea encounters of the past.

The burden of history won’t weigh heavy on Marsch’s shoulders as he takes to the touchline on Sunday – rather, the coach confessed that the club’s former glory remind him to raise his efforts as he creates his own memorable Elland Road era.

"In my office, I probably have 25 Leeds United books on the history of Leeds or managers or whatever,” Marsch said.

"And not one of them is the same. I've kind of paged through some of them - not all of them. That's retirement. I think that's retirement.”

“But more than anything, I love the photos. And when you say about the photos of the club and all this, I love it – I love coming to work. When you see the history it's a reminder of the standard that we're trying to create.

“And I always say that when I'm coming to work early in the morning and I'm up before I want to be and I'm on my way, I'm always thinking about, picturing the trophy and our captain raising these trophies and what it takes to get there and knowing that getting up at ungodly hours is what it takes.

"And that's what this business is - if you're thinking of your competitors, you want to make sure that you're getting up before them, you're staying later than them, you're working harder than them, and that your team is doing the same.

"That's the way to achieve success.”