Jesse Marsch leans on wisdom of Gandhi and JFK to inspire Leeds players

No inspirational team talks this time

Despite his well-known team-talks which have inspired his previous teams to battle, Leeds United boss Jesse Marsch is trying a different method to help his side avoid relegation. Marsch replaced popular figure Marcelo Bielsa in March but has been unable to improve results on the pitch, with Leeds in real danger of returning to the Championship after just two seasons back in the top flight. Leeds are now preparing to face Chelsea on Wednesday night knowing only a win will do as they want to climb back out of the bottom three and Marsch has come up with a new tactic to inspire his squad.

Marsch looks to inspiration from the likes of Mahatma Gandhi

The former RB Leipzig boss has revealed that he is using a number of inspirational quotes from some of the biggest historical figures to have graced the world to add fire to the belly. "Inspiration is a big part of this job and when you lead people you have to find ways to have your finger on the pulse of exactly what's happening at any moment," he said in his press conference. "I have 52 excerpts from books that I sometimes give players when, individually, I think they need something to motivate them based on where they are in their development path or who they are as people to reach them differently rather than the conversations I have with them. "I’ve used Muhammed Ali a few times with the group, Michael Jordan is a guy I'm inspired by, [former Chicago Bulls coach] Phil Jackson. I use things that resonate with me that I think can also fit within the standing of where we are. "There are other historical figures like Gandhi, Mother Teresa, and presidents like JFK that have meant something to where we are historically in the world right now."

Jack Harrison revealed that Marsch showed him a quote from one of the figures

It comes after Leeds winger Jack Harrison revealed that his boss had shown him a quote from Mahatma Gandhi in the build-up to the side's 2-1 defeat to Arsenal last weekend. "[Marsch] showed a quote from Gandhi before the game about having belief and that’s the most important thing for us. "Just having belief and everything else comes after that, staying together and the tactics and everything like that." Seems like the quotes are working a treat... Related links:

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