Jesse Marsch left Leeds in 2023 and now Canada manager has given an in-depth exclusive interview to GIVEMESPORT, where he reflected on his spell at Elland Road and shared his views on Daniel Farke and the club’s 49ers ownership.
Ex-Leeds boss Marsch is heading into a pivotal summer as he prepares to lead Canada at a home World Cup. He departed Elland Road in 2023 after being dismissed in February with the club 17th in the Premier League standings.
Following a year away from coaching, he was appointed Canada men’s national team manager on a deal that runs through the 2026 World Cup.
“When I took over that team, they were beaten down. Beaten down by results. Physically beaten down. This was a psychological project as much as a football one. We had to build the players back up, physically, mentally, psychologically – in all ways – to believe that they could survive. We had to create calmness and ease to the way that we worked every day, and clarity as to how we were going to get there.”
Marsch also mentioned the game against Brentford that sealed their survival, beating the Bees on the final day of the Premier League season. The 52-year-old discusses how everyone, from the players to the staff, had to pull together to ensure they got the job done.
“There were lots of ups and downs. When we beat Watford [3-0 in April 2022], we were sure that we were safe as we had a five or six point gap [from the bottom three] at that stage. Then when we got to the last weekend and we needed a result. It took all the resolve of the entire club and player pool to make sure that we got the job done. We started that Brentford game with some young and unproven players, but we stayed focused and disciplined. We stayed positive across that entire 12-week period, and we delivered on the last day.”
Marsch would go on to be sacked towards the end of the following season, despite Leeds being outside of the relegation zone at the time of his departure.
Marsch on Farke, 49ers, and Leeds’ Relegation Battle
Marsch has also mentioned the relationship he had, and still has, with the Leeds ownership group, the 49ers. The former Leeds boss has also discussed the job Daniel Farke has done, with the Yorkshire club in a comfortable position in the Premier League despite still facing the potential threat of relegation to the Championship.
“It will be a challenge. Leeds is a big club. It’s a very emotional club. When you’re the manager there, one of the keys is just to try and maintain calm and patience, and I think Daniel has done a pretty good job of that. I still know the 49ers. They are trying to create stability at the club and they have a long-term vision. In sport, not just the Premier League or football, the more successful organisations are the ones that have a long-term vision and stick to it. The ones that are knee-jerk and think they always need a better idea or solution, or better person or leader,are the ones that get caught in a dangerous cycle.I believe the 49ers are the type of people that understand how to create longevity in sports business, and know how to have a plan and stick to it.”
The UFC world was left stunned last weekend as Ilia Topuria suffered the very first defeat of his professional MMA career, losing via TKO against Justin Gaethje at the UFC Freedom 250 event in Washington D.C.
The ex-lightweight world champion was pulled out by his corner after the fourth round of the headlining event at the White House as he failed to recover from a devastating left-right combination from the veteran American that left him bloodied in the third.
Gaethje’s explosive display was full of hard-hitting punches plus knees and uppercuts. Topuria’s inability to deal with the constant physical beat down meant an upset occurred and the challenger snatched away the lightweight crown to become a first-time undisputed champion in the UFC.
Topuria, who has also held the belt at featherweight, now has to deal with a fight fallout and feeling which he has never experienced as a professional, which is responding to and coping with a loss.
Ilia Topuria’s Close Friend Opens Up About Fighter’s Reaction
Amber Searls via Imagn Images
In the days since the 31-year-old’s brutal defeat in the American capital, a close friend of his, Pablo Motos, has spoken out to reveal the kind of emotions the fighter is currently experiencing and what his current state of mind is.
Speaking on his ‘El Hormiguero’ chat show, Motos touched on a recent conversation he had with Topuria, stating: “We were talking about something we’re going to do this summer, making jokes, and then he said a phrase I loved.
A lot has been said about Topuria’s health after his war with Justin Gaethje, but a close friend probably knows best, and he’s spoken out.
“He looks at me with his eyes closed and says, ‘Champions, when we fall, we fall hard.’”
Motos then revealed what Topuria’s intentions are in the Octagon and how he wants to go about avenging his world title loss to Gaethje, saying: “They’re already looking toward the future. He was telling me, ‘I’d love to do the rematch in Spain with Gaethje.'”
What Next For Ilia Topuria
Topuria’s desire to jump into a rematch demonstrates that he is keen to rectify his shortcomings against his most recent opponent and reclaim his spot at the top of the lightweight division.
Topuria, who is of Georgian and Spanish descent, has not fought in Spain since the very early days of his professional MMA career, with his last bout in the country coming in a 2016 featherweight title triumph over Jhon Guarin at Mix Fight Events 28 in Valencia.
It remains to be seen what Gaethje intends to do moving forward after achieving his career-long dream of becoming an undisputed UFC champion at 37.
Should Topuria get his wish and get another crack at Gaethje in his home country, it would surely be one of the most anticipated UFC events of recent times.
Arsenal have placed an official bid to sign wonderkid Jeremy Monga from Leicester City, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
The Gunners have been linked with a move for the 16-year-old for some time now, with reports of an offer emerging as early as last month.
Monga, who has been compared to Ousmane Dembele and described as a ‘deadly’ finisher, is expected to leave the Foxes this summer following their relegation to League One, despite having broken into the first-team as a 15-year-old.
And Arsenal have shown the keenest interest in him, with talks progressing over the last few weeks between the Gunners and his representatives over a move to the Emirates Stadium.
Now, according to Romano, Arsenal have lodged an official bid to sign the 16-year-old winger. He tweeted: “Arsenal sent official bid to Leicester City to get Jeremy Monga deal done. 16-year-old winger keen on joining #AFC and deal moving quickly now with optimism to sign #LCFC talent, seen as huge prospect for the future.”
Newcastle were hoping to land the young talent, but while they were trying to lower his fee, the Reds stormed in to agree to his £34.6million release clause, and the deal is as good as done. When Muñoz will agree personal terms remains to be seen, given he is busy at the World Cup with Spain, but Liverpool will be confident of striking a deal, especially with a Spanish boss now in place.
Liverpool are not done there
Ken Blaze (IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters)
It was unclear how bold Liverpool would be in this transfer window, given their huge spend and lack of return last summer, but the questions are now being answered. The Reds are already closing in on an exciting young talent in Muñoz, and that is only going to be the start of their business, according to a fresh report.
Football Insider claim Muñoz will be the first of five new signings this summer, with a central midfielder, centre-back, right-back and right-winger all required by Iraola.
The right-winger and centre-back signings will come as no surprise, given the exits of Ibrahima Konate and Mohamed Salah this summer. Meanwhile, many have called for more options in the middle of the park, while Conor Bradley battling his way back from a serious injury issue looks to be forcing the Reds to add more depth at right-back.
Muñoz can play on the right-wing, and he is a right-footer, but he has traditionally played on the left, liking to cut inside.
Shearer’s Reds warning
Speaking to Betfair last week, Match of the Day pundit Alan Shearer warned that Liverpool need to recruit heavily in this summer’s transfer window. “Liverpool are going to have to go again in the transfer market,” he said. “Mohamed Salah’s gone, so they obviously need someone to replace him.
“They’ve also got Rio Ngumoha, who’s obviously a great talent, but for the future.So Liverpool need several players, I think, if they want to compete again at the very top. And certainly, in wide positions, they’re going to have to strengthen.
“I’m not surprised with who they’re being linked with, like Diomande and Barcola. I guess it’s only a matter of time before that, that would be the position that they announce.”
