"Caught a few by surprise": Smyth drops Thorp Arch update that'll intrigue Leeds fans - opinion

Graham Smyth has revealed that a recent Leeds United decision at Thorp Arch has caught some people by “surprise”…

Writing initially on Twitter, he said: “Cameron Toshack’s appointment as one of Jesse Marsch’s Leeds United assistants has caught a few by surprise. Here’s the story of Toshack’s time as a manager and some insight on what he did next, which seems to have helped land his new job.”

Then, in a follow-up article for The Yorkshire Evening Post, he added that those who have known and worked with Toshack the closest, including managing director of football data experts Analytics FC, Jeremy Steele, believe his role as Marsch’s number two “will suit him perfectly”.

With a Premier League clash against Leicester looming on the horizon on early Saturday afternoon, Marsch will feel boosted by having his backroom set-up as good as complete.

The American knows that picking up results immediately will be absolutely key to preserving the Yorkshire club’s top-flight status this season, and so getting things all set away from the pitch is a big shot in the arm for him.

And when you hear some of the comments about Toshack’s work, then it’s clear why Marsch wanted him by his side at Elland Road, with Steele raving about his work ethic.

He said: “I distinctly remember sitting down with Cam and him being really impressive, with really clear ideas about the game, how he would coach with a strong work ethic and discipline focus.

“Daniel James has come through that Swansea system with Cameron and he works incredibly hard. I think that’s probably a reflection of how Cam did things – players will run, chase and press. That’s one area I think he’s got in common with Jesse Marsch.”

Leeds fans will be intrigued to see the kind of influence