Leeds United coach on 'extremes' of Marcelo Bielsa and Jesse Marsch as Whites prepare for return

As Under 23s boss during Bielsa's reign, Jackson was tasked with employing the same high-intensity pressing style and man-to-man marking system that young players would be required to fit into at first team level when they made the jump.

Jackson credited the Argentine for opening his eyes to minute details and the 'phenomenal' work that can be done to prepare a team for matchday.

Following Bielsa's sacking in February, Jesse Marsch was appointed as head coach on a three-year contract and one of his first jobs was to promote Jackson to the first team set-up.

Jackson says his footballing education at Thorp Arch is continuing apace under the American and he remains grateful for the phone call that changed his role from 23s head coach to first team coach - a role he retained when the club finalised Marsch's staff set-up in the summer.

"I'm in a position at the club now where I'm really privileged to be working with Jesse and the rest of the staff," said the ex-Leeds defender, in a Twitter Spaces event for The Coaches Voice.

"I worked closely with the first team when Marcelo was a manager and Jesse came in and it was a tough time, we were kind of fighting relegation and for him to come in and put his trust in me to help support him to the end of the season was a real privilege. "I've been lucky enough then to stay with the staff going forward. We've had new members come in to build the first team group of staff up, which is really, really good."

The football being played at Elland Road now that Marsch is in charge is quite different to what preceded his arrival, when Bielsa had the team stretching play as wide as possible through his wingers and full-backs and relentlessly chasing their direct opponent all over the pitch.

Now, though there is still an intensity to the way Leeds play and turning over possession high up the pitch remains a priority, man marking was one of the first things to go and Marsch preaches quick, direct football to a side set up in a narrow formation.

Jackson is enjoying the chance to broaden his coaching experience through a different playing philosophy.

"For me as a coach it's fantastic to work under the new style, which Jesse brought in," he said.

"I'm fortunate, I tell people now that I've worked under two extremes. I class Marcelo as an extreme in how he saw the game and Jesse to a certain extent. Everybody talks about the Red Bull style, but I can fully say that Jesse's adapted that and evolved it to his own style. So for me, it's a learning day every day in the building."

When watching World Cup games, Jackson is alert to in-game scenarios that relate to Leeds' new ethos and how they would approach them.

"It catches my eye on counter pressing things - the first goal England conceded against Iran he ran off someone in the box but my eye was caught straight away but how we had four players around the ball on the touchline but nobody went in and affected the ball and we let them get out of the situation," said Jackson.

"That's a key thing we try and instill, that Jesse tries to instill within the team, about going in, joining in and swarming around the ball. Little things like that are kind of opening my eyes to how the game should be played. It's great for me, I can learn every day and I'm privileged to be able to support Jesse and the rest of the staff in what I call a great club, because it's my club Leeds, so it's good."

Jackson has returned to Thorp Arch this week as the squad make their return from a two week break. The first week was to be used as downtime and a vacation, with a fitness programme prescribed for the second.

The unknown effects of a mid-season World Cup and the lengthy wait for the next Premier League game is driving Jackson and the rest of the Leeds staff to send the players back into action in the best possible condition.

"We've had a little bit of time off, which is good, then we're back into training, we've got a training camp in Spain and three games within the World Cup break to keep the rest of the squad sharp and ready to go because nobody knows what it's going to be like when they come back," he said.

"It's a new way of working for everybody. A World Cup during the season, everyone is intrigued to see how teams are going to come back and whether they can pick up form or whether it's going to be a help to them. We'll just try and prepare as best we can to keep the players fit and ready and sharp to restart the season."