Training was led by Jesse Marsch on Monday morning, at the beginning of what many inside Leeds United expected to be another week of trying to end the wait for a Premier League win. The club's hierarchy were keen to avoid any last-minute disruption of a valuable, rare training session before Wednesday night’s trip to Manchester United.
However, Angus Kinnear and Victor Orta were en route to Thorp Arch with the worst news a head coach can receive. The chief executive and director of football would meet Marsch in his office and talk over the situation before relieving him of his duties.
Meetings would follow with Rene Maric, Chris Armas, Cameron Toshack, Michael Skubala, Pierre Barrieu, Marcos Abad and Ewan Sharp, among others. It was laid bare who would be staying and who would be following Marsch out the door.
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“Yesterday, Victor, Angus and the board came up to meet Jesse,” caretaker boss Skubala said. “You know what’s gone on with Jesse and it was a discussion that had to take place, but then after that, they pulled me and a few other staff members in to discuss how we get through this interim period in the short term with Manchester United away in a few hours’ time or a day's time.
“So, we had meetings and we put a plan together that we thought collectively was the best thing to do moving forward at the moment.”
Marsch would get time to speak with his former colleagues before leaving Thorp Arch for the last time. Skubala said: “I saw Jesse before he left, he spoke to all the staff before he left.”
The under-21 boss would not be drawn on what was said, but he admitted it was a professional and typically caring address by the American. He said: “That’s (the meeting) personal.
“It was good. It was nothing. Managers go through these situations, but that was good. Everybody that has to leave a club, when you want to do well, is disappointed.
“It would be the same with me, it would be the same with any manager. It’s a disappointing time for Jesse and I don't think we could expect any different from that.
“He was very professional. He was very caring for the staff and just said his goodbyes in a really professional and caring manner.”
Senior players would go on to meet with Skubala, Armas and Gallardo, tomorrow night’s caretaker team, with the lowdown on where the squad is at after Marsch’s dismissal. Skubala sees a team in a good place and keen to make an impression at Old Trafford.
“Jesse was a good guy,” he said. “The team was working hard for Jesse, but they're used to changes as professional footballers.
“The mood is, I wouldn't say down, but the mood is okay. The mood’s about we've got to focus on Manchester United, we've got to be positive and we've got to go after three points.
“[The message from senior players was] ‘let's get ready for Manchester United, let's train well, let's do the best job we can do.’”
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