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.