Jesse Marsch admits he would like to forge a working relationship with Leeds Rhinos counterpart Rohan Smith as he bids to take Leeds United to the next level.
Whites boss Marsch recently met Smith at a Rugby League World Cup promotional event before the Headingley chief attended last Sunday’s goalless draw with Aston Villa at Elland Road.
Smith spoke to Leeds Live earlier this week about his initial meeting with Marsch and how he planned to “pick the brains” of the American in greater depth.
Read more: Every word Jesse Marsch said on Leeds United's defeat, injuries, Brenden Aaronson and morale
Marsch has tapped into numerous sports such as American football in search of best practice and is now ready to delve into the brutal world of rugby league – revealing the respect between him and Smith is mutual.
Aussie Smith, 41, worked wonders at Headingley this year after transforming the Rhinos from relegation candidates to Grand Finalists, where they lost to St Helens.
Marsch said: “I draw inspiration from a lot of sports – even more so than I do from our own.
“Some it is about leadership, but also methodologies, tactics and what other sports value.
“With Rohan, we spoke at length about wanting to form a relationship – I want to go and watch his training sessions and I invited him to always come and see ours.”
United are part-owned by the San Francisco 49ers Enterprises – the investment arm of the NFL franchise – and 48-year-old Marsch continued: “I was at the 49ers in the summer.
“I’m trying to make plans to visit the Golden State Warriors (American basketball team) as I’ve become friends with their coaching staff.
“When I was at university, I watched everything from rowing to fencing to basketball to see what those methodologies were and what they valued in their training and their performance.
“I love that stuff, so Rohan and I will certainly continue our friendship and I think able to use each other as a resource, for sure.”
Marsch has used past experiences at Princeton University to good effect at Leeds, adding: “When I was at Princeton as a volunteer assistant, in between jobs, I would go for a run sometimes early in the morning.
“There was a big lake where they had the rowing teams and they would train twice a day.
“They would get in the water at about 5.30am, drop the boats in, and then do it again in the afternoon or early evening.
“What I saw in that was the ability to physically exert themselves to levels that I thought were inhuman.
“What I thought immediately was ‘how could I get 11 players on a football field to emulate that kind of output?’
“It’s a pure endurance sport, so it’s different, but with the way we train I try and maximise our ability to give everything they can.
“In every single match, I want almost total exhaustion, knowing that they invested everything they could to get the result.
“I could take you through basketball and how it’s affected me with set-pieces, power sports and what they do in the gym.
“I don’t know rugby that well, but it’s something that through Rohan I’m looking forward to getting to know better and hopefully learning from.”
READ NEXT:
Leeds United player ratings as Harrison and Bamford fail to make openings pay in Crystal Palace loss
Jesse Marsch makes Joe Gelhardt admission and discusses Leeds United competition
Leeds United winners and losers as Kristensen shines but Harrison struggles in defeat at Palace
Every word Jesse Marsch said on Crystal Palace, Zaha, Gelhardt, injuries, Koch and strikeforce
Crysencio Summerville 'in best form' as Leeds United youngsters come into Jesse Marsch reckoning
