Simon Jordan slams Southampton decision to appoint Jesse Marsch as new boss

14 February 2023 , 13:15

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Simon Jordan slams Southampton decision to appoint Jesse Marsch as new boss

Former Crystal Palace owner Simon Jordan isn't convinced by Southampton's decision to appoint Jesse Marsch, but suggests the Premier League strugglers are dealing with "an absolute dearth" of high quality options.

Southampton are poised to appoint Marsch as the successor to Nathan Jones, who was sacked after a defeat against 10-man Wolves left them at risk of being cast adrift at the bottom of the table. Marsch himself was dismissed by Leeds in early February after 11 months at the helm, with the Yorkshire club also in relegation danger.

During his time with Palace, Jordan oversaw a number of managerial appointments, with one of those hires - Iain Dowie - leading the Eagles to promotion in 2004. When it comes to Marsch, though, the 55-year-old had questions about the suitability of a man who only saved Leeds from relegation on the final day of last season.

"I don't think he's got the chops," Jordan said on talkSPORT. "I don't know whether this is a board appointment or whether it's an owner appointment, if indeed it is going to happen, [though] I think we're quite solid on this and so is the perception of it.

"I don't think he's a good enough manager. I think he's all style over substance, and I don't think the style is that great and I think the substance is lacking."

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Leeds appointed Marsch at the end of February 2022 with the club hovering just above the relegation places. While he was able to save them for the drop, the Whites - who finished ninth in 2020-21 under Marcelo Bielsa - are engulfed in another relegation fight.

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Jesse Marsch was sacked with Leeds just outside the bottom three (Getty Images)

Jordan was then asked by presenter Jim White for his perspective as a former owner of a Premier League club. White wondered aloud what Southampton's higher-ups saw that others did not, and the former Palace chief replied: "One man's meat is another man's poison."

"But I look at it and say there's not an embarrassment of riches - [it's] the exact opposite of that. There's an absolute dearth of top-quality managers around that look like they can manage in the Premier League, and so you look at it and go... it's the best of a bad bunch.

"The circumstances around this one are energising for Jesse Marsch because there will be no greater motivation to prove his ability than going out of a side that booted him out and then relegating that side. He'll say that's not the case because he loves Leeds United... but how much satisfaction would he get if he were to put Southampton out of the relegation zone and Leeds United back into it."

Tom Victor