While the decision to bring him to Leeds United initially divided opinion, Jesse Marsch has certainly passed his three-month probation. He watched his side secure Premier League safety with a brilliant final-day performance at Brentford when the odds were stacked against them.
The Whites leapfrogged Burnley – who were beaten 2-1 by Newcastle - to move out of the relegation zone on the day that mattered most. There was a monumental release of emotion from Marsch to Jack Harrison’s thunderous winner which left them on the floor punching the air inside his technical area.
In a video posted to the Leeds Twitter account, the American had an emotional dressing room message for his squad on the most important day of his spell as manager so far. He said: “I told you guys before the game that you’re the best group I’ve ever worked with, the commitment you have to each other, and then we showed the video of these last-minute goals.
Read more: Drama, nerves and ecstasy - Leeds United's remarkable final day survival push as it happened
“A group that shows belief and never says quit, that runs for each other, that fights for each other, that does everything we can and that is what got us here. It’s the character of you guys, I don’t want to stand in front of the fans and hear my name chanted, it’s us. It will always be us and we are staying in the Premier League, gents.”
The real test of what Marsch can bring to Leeds will come after a well-earned summer of rest and recuperation. With a full pre-season, as well as the opportunity to make some of his own recruitment decisions, he will be fully prepared to show the footballing world what he is capable of from August onwards.
The style of football he has opted for in the last few months has been questioned by some supporters but it has done the job it was set out to do. He will now want to implement a more exciting, attacking approach and the true assessment of his credentials as Leeds manager will come a dozen or so games into the 2022/23 campaign.
