Bosses discuss
Oliver Mintzlaff’s fierce reaction to the lousy performance at Union Berlin highlights the tense situation at RB Leipzig. There is no longer a pre-Christmas grace period for Jesse Marsch. Speculation is growing that the coach will be replaced. Transfermarkt understands that the decision-makers at Red Bull expected Marsch to win every game until the winter break following the defeat to Bayer Leverkusen last week. Friday’s loss to Union Berlin will likely have accelerated the situation, there is some indication now that Marsch is on his way out of the club.
Because there have been some reports about Marsch’s future the last 24 hours. Sources have told me last week that #RBLeipzig will keep a close eye on the results until the winter break. I also broke it down on the latest Gegenpressing Pod. @Transfermarkt https://t.co/Zb0PHWUqh3
— Manuel Veth (@ManuelVeth) December 4, 2021
Five months after the departure of Julian Nagelsmann to FC Bayern Munich, RB as a former title challenger is only a rumbling operation in the Bundesliga mediocrity. Mintzlaff’s post-match rant, on the other hand, reached a high level. If he had left room for speculation in his initial analysis, which was marked by frustration and disappointment, the indications that coach Marsch could be given leave of absence while he is still in his ongoing Covid quarantine. No more grace period. First analysis, then action—and fast. Guido Schäfer, chief reporter of the Leipziger Volkszeitung, already commented on Saturday that coach Marsch’s days are “almost certainly” numbered. In the very next game, someone else would be sitting on the bench.
In which direction the action will go and whether it will cost Marsch his job as Bundesliga coach, that should be decided this weekend. A recent report in Sport Bild still suggested that RB could first try assistance in the form of a mental coach for the Leipzig team. In the final match against Manchester City in the Champions League on Tuesday, the team still wants to secure its place in the Europa League for the winter. That won’t be possible with Berlin’s performance, and Mintzlaff wasn’t the only one who knew that.
Mintzlaff on Leipzig’s performance: “Catastrophic,” “desolate,” “very, very bad”
“This is a difficult phase now, but we’re not going to bury our heads in the sand now and somehow wait until Christmas and hope that things will get better in the new year. The point is, of course, that we draw the right conclusions from this,” Mintzlaff said in the moderate part of his DAZN interview while still on the pitch at the Alte Försterei stadium.
Beforehand, Mintzlaff had formulated rather unusual sentences by his rhetorical standards. It is hardly imaginable that words come uncontrollably over the lips of the 46-year-old in the great soccer emotion. “Catastrophic”, “desolate”, simply “very, very bad” was the performance. “Very, very disappointed” was the manager. Only eighth place, with a downward trend and at least five points behind a Champions League place. That is far too little for the successful model from the Red Bull drawing board.
Mintzlaff explicitly pointed out that there was “not only a discussion coach”, but also “a discussion team”. “It’s a matter of analyzing that hard as nails now.” And yet, for now, the debates revolve around the coach. Until Christmas, it was said in Leipzig, Marsch is given time. Now speculation has long been rife about possible successors, from Lucien Favre (without a club) to Roger Schmidt (PSV Eindhoven) to Matthias Jaissle, who took over from Marsch at Red Bull Salzburg.
Zidane, Conte, Favre & Co.: Coaches available on the market
The mood in the RB orbit programmed for eternal upswing has probably never been worse. And the numbers are clear. For the first time in their Bundesliga history, Leipzig conceded three defeats in a row. RB picked up just 18 points from 14 games this season. There has been no league victory away from home with Marsch. “That’s too little for our standards, that’s not what we can expect with this great squad,” Mintzlaff said.
Nevertheless, it would be curious if he had to leave now, although he was not even on the sidelines the past few games because of his Covid infection and only coached virtually from home. “The fact that we are not living up to our standards is an open secret. It doesn’t pass us by without a trace,” said his deputy Marco Kurth, who could help out (again) against Manchester City if Marsch and his first assistant Achim Beierlorzer take leave.
