Jesse Marsch's first Leeds United press conference every word: Bielsa, Bamford, Phillips, 49ers

“I am just getting started. If you count Joffy as the younger group then he has been good. I think Crysencio has been good in the group. I think Charlie Cresswell comes in every day and works really hard. I know Joffy a little but from watching some of the U-23s and some of the first team matches but I need to get to know these young players more so I can understand what their qualities are and then how to help them continue to grow.”

“Certainly getting away from the man marking, trying to also with the ball create tactics that don’t expose us in transition moments as much. The clarity of the tactical model, without going so deep into every little detail, it’s introducing important topics that I think - the players are, I can say, it’s an intelligent group - that they can understand and put to practice. That has been, in the end, the focus of this week and then continuing for them to understand my personality and how we’re going to continue to move forward as a group. These are the short term challenges. I told them yesterday after training, the topics that we did in training I worked with teams for six months and they did not perform the topics as well on the pitch as well as this group has done in two days. That’s a very positive sign, a very positive sign.”

“We’ve seen incredible positive responses in terms of the energy of the group. The positivity, the excitement they have. Of course this was a difficult decision for everybody, there was big emotions on Monday when Marcelo and his team said goodbye. I was very aware of that the first time I spoke to them, I didn’t want to go into a million things on Monday, I tried to just make a quick introduction of myself and who I am. I’ve tried to just be positive myself, bring energy every day and allow them to have some freedom to express themselves within the group and within their relationship with me. Even the energy on the pitch today is a very positive sign. Again, it’s got to add up so that when they go out on the pitch on Saturday, that they are as committed if not more, that they’re running for each other, that they’re doing everything they can to fight for the result in the ways that they have. The combination of enjoying the process, but with discipline and concentration to execute on gameday, and go after the game in every way - that’s what will help us get where we believe where we deserve to be.”

“I’ve seen a lot of people, you know I’m not out in the community, I’m here at the hotel. And the people I’ve seen at the hotel, they’ve all come up to me and said, ‘listen, we want you to succeed, we want you to do well - obviously it’s hard to say goodbye to Marcelo but we love this club, we’re so happy to be in the Premier League, we’re behind you, do everything you can.’ My message is, ‘ I’m here for all the right reasons, I’m not here for myself, I’m here for the club, to work within a club atmosphere to maximise the potential of everything that we do every day and I’m here to enjoy the process with the fans as well.”

“I think there’s probably 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 word ‘football’ since I was a professional football player. I think more and more in the States, we’re adapting to …… connecting to what this league is and what the culture of the sport is in this country. I can understand that they think we don’t have the experiences that can be created here in Europe - I think they’re right. There’s a reason I came here, there’s a reason I learned German, there’s a reason I tried to adapt to new cultures - this is the fifth country I’ve coached football in. And it takes me out of my comfort zone every time, it challenges me to grow and develop, 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. And all I can say is, the only way I know way I know how to do things is to go all in, to give everything I have, to believe in who I am, to believe in the people that I work with and to try and maximise what we are every day and I find if you can do that effectively, you can be incredibly surprised by what you can achieve. So that sounds like Ted Lasso, I think, from what I’ve heard.”

“In the process, Andrea asked me would I come if at the end of the season they were in the Premier League or the Championship. And I said that, if I felt the project was right, then absolutely it didn’t matter. And so when they came to me eight days ago, it was time to show that I meant that. Of course I didn’t want Marcelo to have to go out like this, I wanted to see him continue and finish his legacy and keep the team up. I wanted to make that argument with Victor when he called me, but I could see that the group was suffering. Then I had to wrap my mind around doing it now. My focus entirely is not on the Championship, it’s on finding ways that we will be in the Premier League. But in the end, I’m committed to being here no matter what the situation is because I believe in it so much.”

“Whenever you work for a club, you know that there’s things that you can suggest and try to work through, but you also know that there are situations that you have to accept. Every manager will tell you - and I say this in general - that good players make good managers, not the other way around. Every manager will tell you that he wants as good players as you can give him. You also have to understand that for the health of the group, and the health of every individual, that you have to respect possibilities of what is out there. I’m the type of manager that will try to control what is within the boundaries of what this role is. I try to work very diligently and carefully with the people around me, but I trust the people that are in their roles to do the jobs effectively. I certainly know that Victor Orta, his expertise, his communication style, his ability to help build a roster and a squad and a club in a really good way is really impressive. We will have a close, strong relationship as time goes on, but I certainly trust his ways, there’s no question about that.”

“My father’s balance between hard work and enjoying his life is as good as anyone I’ve ever known - I think that’s what I’ve learnt the most from him. He was very clear to me, when I was young, about what hard work is - very clear. He worked in a tractor factory called Case tractors for 32 years on the assembly line. He was also an incredible hard worker in the way that he did things, like built houses and accomplished - my parents got married very very young because of me. Mother probably would not want that information out there, but they fought for everything their whole lives to try to achieve and succeed - and they have. I think my work life balance has always been pretty good, like I know how to work really hard but I also know how to enjoy the people around me. We’ve been doing that over the past few days. Ralf Rangnick really introduced complex football tactics and ideas to me in a way that, I think, really ignited my passion for being a top manager. I’m very thankful for that relationship. I’m also thankful that we’re not playing them on this stretch. He sent me a little note - just a congratulations and good luck.”

“I think, knowing football history and what Leeds has been in the past and knowing that it’s a one team city and that the supporters are so big, not just here in Leeds but internationally, I think that this club has incredible potential to continue to inch itself forward as a bigger and bigger club here in England. We’re in a big moment right now, we have to find a way to fight for everything to stay in the top league and then we can hopefully continue the process again moving forward. I want to make it clear that, with the 49ers. I met them - they’re incredibly intelligent people, they’re very clear in terms of what has made them successful in terms of strategies, and how to manage organisations and I think there’s a lot to learn from them. But I also want to make it clear that that’s not the main reason I’m here. To say that there’s an Americanisation of this club is inaccurate, everyone from Andrea to Angus to Victor are very clear that they have a distinct vision for what this club is and will become, and that the 49ers and me and American players - that is a sidenote in the process. I think the balance overall, from the conversations that have been had in the ownership group and in the leadership group of this club are very intelligent and very careful, and I think will make the club stronger over time.”

Every word and a full transcribe of his press conference to follow