Why Jesse Marsch is still talking about Leeds, four years and one World Cup on from his exit New York Times (Online) Beren Cross More than three and a half years have passed since Jesse Marsch was sacked as Leeds United head coach in February 2023. In that time, the American has taken charge of Canada's national team, overseen 39 games and taken them to the last 16 of the 2026 World Cup. And yet, he felt it was necessary, once again, to wade into the Leeds discourse this month. Marsch has posted twice about the Premier League club in recent days on X. On October 17, Marsch quoted a post created by a United fan account, which he does not follow, carrying fewer than 4,000 followers. It amended a chart titled 'Top 50 Most Hated People in History' with Marsch ranked 35th, instead of Victorian serial killer Jack the Ripper. Check out number 35. I'd say Leeds fans have a little too much time on their hands!🤣🤣 https://t.co/wudAYfznU9 — Jesse Marsch (@jessemarsch) October 17, 2026 The post did not mention Marsch's name or his account, which means it would not show up in a search for his name. However, within seven hours of this graphic being posted, Marsch found it, drew attention to it and then wagered United fans have too much time on their hands, with laughing emojis. At the time of writing, views of Marsch's quoted post were closing in on 500,000 and, inevitably, Leeds fans did not need a second invitation to reply. The interaction did not end there, however. Two days later, on October 19, Canada's head coach posted an alternative ranking titled 'Top 50 Most Loved People in History'. This time, Marsch suggested he was trying to help out the club's fanbase by giving them a countdown they can alter to include Marcelo Bielsa, the iconic head coach he succeeded in West Yorkshire. I'll help the Leeds fans out. Here is where you can put Marcelo Bielsa. Good point against the scum!!💪💪 pic.twitter.com/omVT3FxSoC — Jesse Marsch (@jessemarsch) October 19, 2026 He also left space to praise the club's draw with Manchester United. Canada Soccer was approached for comment on these X posts, but the governing body made it clear neither it nor Marsch would address them. This is not the first time the 52-year-old has felt the need to engage with the Leeds debate on X. In May 2023, Sam Allardyce replaced Marsch's successor, Javi Gracia, as Leeds manager. He oversaw the final four games of the season, which confirmed the club's relegation to the Championship. Then, in February this year, speaking on the No Tippy Tappy Football podcast, Allardyce addressed the team he inherited at Elland Road. He asserted Marsch and Gracia had allowed the team's physical data to collapse from the highs Bielsa had overseen between 2018 and 2022. Really?? https://t.co/mAQ5Rvj34Y pic.twitter.com/Zz65DZm3YE — Jesse Marsch (@jessemarsch) February 23, 2026 Three days after a clip of Allardyce's comments was posted on X, Marsch responded with a spreadsheet showing Leeds as the Premier League's best team for physical data across the first 20 rounds (the American's tenure) of the 2022-23 season. Marsch then responded again when a Leeds fan suggested nobody cared for his or Allardyce's opinions, given the club was ultimately relegated. He contested that he and his backroom staff did preserve the club's top-flight status. Except we kept the team up. 🤔 https://t.co/GPNp2RnZnC — Jesse Marsch (@jessemarsch) February 23, 2026 Marsch did oversee Leeds's survival on the final day of the 2021-22 campaign. However, when he was sacked in February 2023, the team was 17th, outside the relegation zone on goal difference, with a game in hand, on 18 points from 20 matches. They had won just two games in 17. These 2026 episodes stem from a fractious period for Marsch at Leeds. He delivered 33 points from his 32 league games at the helm, which was relegation-battling form at a fraction over one point per game, on average. While his tactics never seemed to catch light on the pitch, his comments off the field, particularly about Bielsa, an adored figure in Leeds circles, set some fans against him. In April 2022, during an interview with UK radio station Talksport , he said: “The injury issue, for me, had a lot to do with the training methodology (set by Bielsa). “These players were over-trained, and it led to them being physically, mentally, emotionally and psychologically in a difficult place to recover from week to week, game to game.” Then, four months later, Marsch reiterated those sentiments in a press conference. He said: “Last year when I came, I got killed for it by all of you guys (the media), about Marcelo overtraining, but in my experience, the reality was the team was done, physically, emotionally, everything.” That all went on more than four years ago. A lot of water has passed under the bridge, but it continues to flare up in moments like this on social media. When you speak to people close to the Canada setup, you are given the impression that what Marsch is doing on X is not such a drastic departure from his character. This is the same manager who has made it one of his missions with the national team to coax more personality and swagger out of his players. Marsch wants his players acting and playing with more bravado than they ever have. He has identified that trait as one lacking in the current player pool. And so his social media activity, even if seen by some as too bold for a national team manager, is in line with the kind of chest-pumping self-belief Marsch has and wants his players to have, according to sources who spoke under the condition of anonymity to protect relationships. This is the same Marsch who doesn't mind negative attention. “I don't care if people don't like me,” Marsch told The Athletic's Joshua Kloke earlier this month. “That's even better. I think the players are understanding I like having a good environment and I like making sure that everybody enjoys (being in the national team).” Marsch may not care if people do not like him, but his actions over the past few days have made it clear he is keen to advertise it when he is attacked, even if it is by supporters of a club he last managed in 2023.