The overweight keeper and pub team on Jesse Marsch's mind in FA Cup vow to Leeds United's fans

United's American head coach Marsch will get his first taste of the FA Cup this afternoon when Leeds visit historic bogey side Cardiff in the third round (kick-off 2pm). Marsch was a player with US side Chicago Fire when a Leeds team sitting top of the Premier League under David O'Leary suffered a shock 2-1 defeat at third tier outfit Cardiff back in January 2002. Marsch, though, says he has heard all about that "bitter" exit and has drawn on his own experiences as a player in declaring just how much importance he places on the cups.

Asked what he had been told about the Leeds defeat at Cardiff in 2002 - and if he had anything similar to draw on himself - Marasch revealed: "I was told that Leeds were top of the league, that it was an ugly match with a lot of physical confrontations and then in the end we lost. And it was a bitter loss.

"In the US, I've lost to like a pub league team with a goalkeeper that was like 40 pounds overweight. He saved my penalty so that was terrible. I was with Chivas USA and they were called Roma FC and it was maybe like a quarter-final/round of 16.

"They did really well. Literally, their goalkeeper, every save he made, he stooped in the ground and prayed to God and I think he saved my penalty. And then I've won titles and any time you can raise a trophy, what a feeling that is. You don't forget that.

"I've always been on teams and clubs that valued the cup and I found that was always really important. Even in Salzburg, to win the double was a big emphasis every year and in the cup, sometimes you'd play against pub league teams in the first round and you had to make sure you were prepared for all those moments."

Leeds have an awful recent record in the FA Cup and Marsch revealed at Friday afternoon's pre-match press conference that chief executive Angus Kinnear had told him that Leeds should maybe focus on having a good run in the competition this term. Marsch’s side will be cheered on by 6,500 supporters in Wales which in itself has sent a message to United’s squad.

"Six and a half thousand going to Cardiff is I think the only message we need to hear," said Marsch, asked if he had a message for the fans. "I already told the players that so that we all understand this is important for the club and for our fans and so we have to make sure that everything from team selection to performance that we're ready."

There is, though, unlike in 2002, no bold statement from Marsch about how Leeds will fare in this year’s competition as a whole. O'Leary said 21 years ago that his side's FA Cup run would start and end in Cardiff - the destination of that year's final - only to crash out at the first stage. Asked if he wanted to say anything this time around, Marsch laughed: "No! We're going to start our cup in Cardiff, that's what I will say!"

The Whites boss also insisted that any speculation of club takeover talk had no effect on himself or his team.

"I would say in general, it hasn't affected much of anything," said Marsch, asked if that affect his projects in January and going forward or just the way Leeds did their jobs. “I'm always in very good contact with Victor and Angus, a little bit less but still often in very good contact with Andrea, and not very often with the 49ers.

"With 49ers, I more just try to wish them good luck in their matches, and they've been on a good run and they wish us good luck in ours but not really any internal discussions. Those are higher level stuff that are sort of above my paygrade but there's no false pretences in that. I think the only motivation for us is the tournament and the opponent and handling the match."