Leeds boss Marsch laughs off Ted Lasso comparisons
Leeds’ new head coach Jesse Marsch has admitted there is a stigma about Americans managing in English football.
The 48-year-old American signed a contract at Elland RoaduntilJune2025afterthe club sacked hugely-popular Argentinian Marcelo Bielsa.
Marsch said the hit televisioncomedy-dramaseriesTed Lasso had done little to help the perception of American football coaches working on this side of the Atlantic.
The former RB Salzburg and RB Leipzig boss said: “Yes I think there probably is a stigma. I’m not sure Ted Lasso helped. I haven’t watched the show, but I get it.
“People hate hearing the word ‘soccer’. I’ve used the wordfootballsinceIwasaprofessional football player.
“I think more and more in the States we’re adapting to what the game here is in England and our connection with what this league is and what the culture of the sport is in thiscountry.Icanunderstand they think we don’t have the experiences that can be created here in Europe. Frankly, they’re right.”
Marsch, a former player with Major League Soccer sides DC United, Chicago Fire and Chivas USA, started out in management as assistant coach of the USA national team under former head coach Bob Bradley.
Bradley’s short-lived spell in charge of Swansea in 2016
also did little to address the misconception.
After managerial spells at Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls, Marsch guidedSalzburgtosuccessiveAustrian league and cup doubles before a brief stint at Leipzig.
He said: “It was reason I
came to Europe, the reason I learned German. It’s the reason I’ve tried to adapt. This is the fifth country I have coached football in.
“It takes me out of my comfort zone every time and challengesmetogrowanddevelop and learn new things.
"I’m very open to that, I’m very cognisant of the fact that I’m not perfect and I don’t want to be.
“All I can say is the only way Iknowhowtodothingsistogo all in, give everything I have to believe in who I am, to believe in the people I work with and totrytomaximisewhatweare every day.
“I find if you can do that effectively, you can be incredibly surprised with the human spirit and what you can achieve. So, that sounds like Ted Lasso, I think, from what I have heard.”