Leeds United January transfer window decision and £135m rubberstamp cancels wavering theories - YEP 26/1/23


As a couple of days bled into a week and then a couple of weeks, one might have wondered if the Leeds United board were wavering.

By Graham Smyth

Jesse Marsch expected to welcome Mark Jackson's replacement in the days following the 0-0 draw at Newcastle United, but said the same thing a number of times as January progressed without an appointment.

Confirmation of Chris Armas' arrival, as another assistant to the Whites head coach, came on January 25, a full 26 days after Marsch was first asked the question. In truth the club never gave any indication that there was any kind of a problem or an unwillingness to pull the trigger on the bolstering of the backroom team, it always appeared to be on the cards and progressing. And when they made the announcement on Wednesday, Leeds reaffirmed their position with regards to Marsch and his position. He is still being backed.

It simply would not make sense for the club to bring in a new member of staff and one so specific to Marsch, were they eyeing the ejector button with any intent. The same can be said of the January recruitment. Max Wober made it a quartet of Marsch-coached players in the squad, reuniting with his former RB Salzburg manager in an £11m move. Breaking their transfer record to bring in Georginio Rutter, even if his high-ceiling potential was sufficient to place him in a somewhat separate bracket, was a similar show of faith. They're mulling over whether or not to do a midfielder in this window too but even if Armas is the last 'new face' through the door before the transfer deadline, Marsch has been backed.

Almost every manager would always accept a little more, an extra option, more quality in a certain position, another pair of helping hands, but any who went into a window under as much pressure as the American did and came out with his job, the left-sided defender and striker he wanted, and his old team-mate and coach, would surely be reasonably content.

Leeds have also given Marsch time. Yes, he's yet to celebrate his Elland Road anniversary, but prior to those Liverpool and Bournemouth wins he could easily have been served with the Leeds United divorce papers. Other board rooms would have lost patience, or nerve, following that eight-game winless streak. The World Cup break took on the look of a departure lounge, a natural fire break in which to douse the flames of supporter dissension, part ways with Marsch and sign a new man who would have a mini pre-season and a transfer window to play with in order to rescue the season.

But at Leeds the word was always that they were sticking by their man. He was given that training camp, albeit one closer to home than the initial US-based plans, and even without a win since the Premier League resumption, he was given the transfer window.

The performance at Aston Villa buoyed Marsch, to a level that was difficult for his critics to understand, and he felt like the 0-0 draw with Brentford was another step in the right direction. That feeling after that game appears to have been shared in the decision-making levels of the club. Armas arriving, amid so much noise about a potential third senior signing of the window, bears the hallmarks of a boardroom rubber stamp.

Football, however, is so transactional. Nothing is given freely, without consequence or demand. Boards sign off on transfers and staffing changes and in return they get results. That's how it works. So having received - something in the region of £135m has been spent on signings so far in his tenure - Marsch must now give. It's his turn to deliver. And no matter your levels of confidence in his style of football, ability as a coach or suitability for this club, it's still very possible for Leeds to complete what could be described as a good season.

A midtable, even lower midtable finish, as long as it's not skin of the teeth territory, and an FA Cup run would amount to that. No FA Cup draw is kind when you're in a battle of a season as a Premier League club, because anyone outside the top flight is a banana skin and anyone inside it could quite easily turn you over. But a League One club, a League One struggler for that matter, even if they are at home, should be very beatable for Leeds. Accrington Stanley will fight, they'll be pumped up but they should not be able to compensate for Leeds' quality, not on a pitch their own chairman boasts is made from the same stuff and by the same people as the one installed at Elland Road.

Beating them won't constitute a cup run, not of the length Leeds fans and the board want, but it will be a step towards one and another chance to use the word momentum. It will be another dose of reassurance for the board that they've done the right thing. What a cup exit at the Wham Stadium would represent, for all concerned, does not need to be stated.

Arguments over how wise their backing has been will be won or lost in time but, as of this moment, it cannot be disputed that he's had it, not with any real vigour. Marsch is their man, he's had their support, he's got what looks only a midfielder shy of the tools he might want or need to do this job. But it all comes with an expectation.

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