Jesse Marsch has secured his first job since departing Leeds United in February 2023, taking on the role of Canada’s new head coach. Marsch is set to lead Canada at the upcoming Copa America, where he may face several of his former Leeds players from the USMNT, including Tyler Adams, Brenden Aaronson, and Weston Jesse Marsch. Additionally, he could potentially come up against his Leeds predecessor, Marcelo Bielsa, who is now managing Uruguay, although the draw makes this matchup unlikely.
After his departure from Elland Road, Marsch was linked to various positions during the 15 months he was out of the game. English clubs Leicester City and Southampton expressed interest shortly after his Leeds exit, and he was also mentioned in connection with Celtic and AS Monaco. At one point, he seemed a likely candidate for the USMNT job until Gregg Berhalter’s return.
Marsch’s tenure at Leeds ended with just two wins in his final 17 league matches. Despite efforts to paint his time at the club positively, it was clear Leeds was struggling. Speaking on CBS Sports Golazo, Marsch criticized Leeds’ management, calling the club a ‘mess’ both before and after his time there. He highlighted financial difficulties and disorganization, stating, “It’s almost like the higher that I went the more disappointed I was, in the way that things operated. People think Leeds is such a big club but if you peel the veil away, we were a club that was in disarray when I got there.”
Marsch’s remarks underscore the financial challenges under Andrea Radrizzani’s ownership, with Leeds still owing £190 million in unpaid transfer installments. Financial expert Kieran Maguire described Radrizzani’s approach as using the ‘Leeds United credit card’ on transfers, indicating a lack of adequate funds.
However, Marsch is not without blame. Many of the expensive signings during his tenure, including 10 first-team players across two transfer windows, failed to pan out. Only Georginio Rutter and Willy Gnonto remain at the club this season, with the rest either on loan or sold. This highlights that Marsch, too, bears responsibility for Leeds’ struggles.
