Jesse Marsch is rumored to fill the position of Marcelo Bielsa as manager of Leeds United after the club suffered a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham on Saturday. If Marsch gets the job then you might ask, how many American managers have been in the Premier League? The Wisconsin native would become the third American to manage an EPL club.
How Many American Managers Have Been In The Premier League?
3. Jesse Marsch
Marsch looks set to take over Bielsa’s position. The axe was coming for Bielsa eventually as Leeds is winless in its last six Premier League games and set a record for most goals conceded in a month.
20 - Leeds United have conceded 20 goals in February alone in the Premier League, the most a side has ever shipped in a single month in the competition, and most in a month by a top-flight side overall since Newcastle in April 1986 (21). Dire. pic.twitter.com/7OkzzhZn9l
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) February 26, 2022
While Marcelo Bielsa and Leeds lawyers discuss final contract termination details, talks are in progress for Jesse Marsch to be appointed as new manager. The agreement's now at final stages. ⚪️ #LUFC
Marsch has been on Leeds board list for months. Work in progress. pic.twitter.com/M2yLEyAXka— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) February 27, 2022
Marsch had previously managed Red Bull Salzburg and RB Leipzig. He only lasted 17 games with a Leipzig team that had some of its top players gutted by Bayern in the transfer window. Marsch parted ways with Leipzig on Dec. 5.
This will be Marsch’s first relegation battle in his managerial career. He never had to worry about relegation with the Montreal Impact and New York Red Bulls. Meanwhile he was winning titles with Salzburg and had Leipzig midtable.
Leeds will be a true test for Marsch.
2. David Wagner
Former USMNT striker David Wagner managed Huddersfield Town from 2015 to 2019. In 2016-17 he coached Huddersfield to a Premier League promotion. Despite the odds stacked against Huddersfield, Wagner managed to avoid relegation in the 2017-18 season.
The luck ran out in the next year as Huddersfield posted the third worst season in Premier League history with 16 points. Wagner was let go halfway through the season. He then went on to be a part of Schalke’s historically bad relegation season.
Wagner is now in charge of Young Boys in the Swiss Super League.
1. Bob Bradley
Former USMNT head coach Bob Bradley had a short stint with Swansea City in 2016. Bradley had a horrific 2-7-2 run that saw him gain and lose the Swansea job in just 85 days. While the record wasn’t anything to praise, he did set history as the first American to manage a Premier League club.
Bradley has managed in MLS after losing the Swansea job. He was with LAFC from 2017 to 2021 and look the team to a Concacaf Champions League final. Bradley now manages Toronto FC.
As it stands, no American manager has lasted longer than two seasons in the Premier League. Marsch will look to change that statistic if he does indeed get the Leeds job.
