“PEOPLE hate hearing the word soccer,” said Jesse Marsch in his first pre-match press conference as manager of Leeds United.
The Racine, Wisconsin native had just been asked whether there was a stigma around US coaches in English football, especially considering the struggles Bob Bradley faced during his time managing Swansea City in the Premier League in 2016.
It probably made sense for Marsch to give such an answer and makes his life a trifle easier in the early stages of what will be a difficult job.
If the response on social media to posts using the word “soccer” is anything to go by, he might be right, too.
He also made a noticeable effort to pronounce the name of the league “premier league” rather than “prem-eer league” as it can often come across in an American accent and gave his hometown as the nearby and more recognisable Milwaukee.
JAMES NALTON writes how at the heart of the big apple, the beautiful game exists as something more community-oriented, which could benefit hugely under mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani
As the historic ground prepares for its emotional farewell, even visiting teams like Manchester City are paying tribute to one of English football’s most storied stadiums, writes JAMES NALTON



