Journalist Phil Hay has revealed Jesse Marsch has hinted his Leeds United side will make a greater effort in the cup competitions ahead of next season.
Hay was speaking on the latest episode of The Phil Hay Show having recently spoken to the American manager.
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The obvious goal for Leeds in the remaining eight games of the 2021/22 campaign is to retain their spot in the Premier League for the 2022/23 season.
However, going into the international break on the back of two consecutive victories, Leeds have opened up a seven-point gap on the relegation zone.
And given the Yorkshire club have gone 50 years without getting their hands on a piece of silverware from the domestic cup competitions, Hay revealed Marsch’s hopes of a good cup run.
He said: “He was pretty careful in what he did promise, you know, he said short-term, we need to stay up. Longer-term, I need to introduce a proper pattern of play that is my style. I need to keep developing the academy so it impacts on both the playing squad and the business model, which totally makes sense.
“But he did say, little by little, we do need to start creeping towards winning trophies now. You know, we do need to move in that direction. And he made the point that it’s not easy and that it’s not an overnight thing and not something that you just do by clicking your fingers. But that, I think, is what you kind of need to be hearing.”
TIF Thoughts on Marsch’s plans…
Since returning to the English top flight, Leeds have struggled in the cup competitions with third-round exits on both occasions after Crawley Town prevailed last season and West Ham United this term.
In their last 12 seasons, the Whites have only progressed from the third round of the FA Cup on three occasions and have failed to do so since the 2016/17 campaign (via Transfermarkt).
There is certainly an argument for more pressing matters being on the agenda this season with a real threat of relegation looming over the club.
However, if they are able to survive this season, we think a run deep into either the Carabao or FA Cup would please the fans and would even show a shift in focus from the squad.
In other news: ‘In loads of pain’ – Phil Hay reveals another Leeds injury scare on top of four replaced