Jesse Marsch names Player of the Season contender as worst Leeds United trainer amid ‘respect’ comment

Speaking to CBS Sports Golazo, the American - who guested on Sky’s ‘Monday Night Football’ coverage of Everton vs Crystal Palace - listed those he had coached who were most difficult to manage and motivate during training. “There’s a lot. There’s a lot of them,” Marsch began, joking with the show's co-hosts. “In New York [Red Bulls], it was Kemar Lawrence, in Leeds, Crysencio Summerville. Ademola Lookman, maybe, in Leipzig.” “You have to kind of understand your players, but you also have to push them. You have to say, ‘you have to train right’. It’s less to do with earning my respect and more to do with earning your teammates’ respect.” Marsch was relieved of his duties at Elland Road following defeat by newly-promoted Nottingham Forest in February last year. The team had been on a run of two league wins in 17 Premier League matches in the lead up to the 50-year-old’s removal. Ironically, Summerville scored the winner in Marsch’s penultimate and final victories as Leeds boss. His late strike at Elland Road on Bonfire Night completed a comeback victory over AFC Bournemouth days after clinching an historic 2-1 victory at Anfield over Jürgen Klopp’s Liverpool. That match was the subject of Marsch’s recent ‘Coaches’ Voice: Masterclass’ video, in which the ex-Red Bull Salzburg head coach talked through the tactics which culminated in Leeds’ win over the Reds. This season, Summerville has scored 16 goals in all competitions and contributed a further nine assists, taking his direct goal involvement tally to 25. The Dutchman is on course to surpass 30 for the season at his current rate, despite Marsch’s training ground revelation. The ex-Leeds coach is yet to undertake his next managerial role since leaving United, but has featured as a pundit on various broadcasters’ coverage of the Champions League and Premier League during 2023/24.