Victor Orta wanted Jesse Marsch Leeds United stay, behind the scenes tension as American is sacked - MOT Leeds News 6/2/23

By George Overhill

There is internal tension at Leeds United with the top brass not on the same page over the sacking of Jesse Marsch, according to the Daily Mail.

The American has been relieved of his duties at Elland Road, after the 1-0 defeat to Nottingham Forest on Sunday (5 February) left the club 17th and level on points with Everton below.

There has apparently been disagreements behind the scenes on both the future of the manager and the January transfer window’s recruitment policy.

Sporting director Victor Orta in particular was backing the manager, as the Daily Mail report from shortly before the confirmation of the move stated: “The club’s ownership are losing faith in the American, with senior figures at Elland Road minded to make a change.

“There are members of the club’s top brass who believe Marsch should stay on, namely sporting director Victor Orta.”

It adds: “Sources have also indicated there was some internal tension over the club’s recruitment strategy during the January window.”

Everything was looking up at the end of a transfer window which saw Max Wober, Georginio Rutter, Weston McKennie and Diogo Monteiro brought in.

A squad with obvious weaknesses had been the beneficiary of major spending and all eyes turned to the trip to the City Ground at the weekend.

But the same problems persisted, with dominance not turned into goals, and a 1-0 defeat looks to have been the final straw for those in charge.

What this now means for Orta, if he was heavily on Marsch’s side, is unclear as the united front that the now-departed manager often espoused looks to be very much not the case.

Clearly those in charge have been operating apart from the man in the dug out and his sporting director, as Phil Hay suggested on the Jack Harrison deadline day debacle.

And now they have made the ultimate move to break up the management structure, so Orta may be jeopardy as well.