Leeds United employee issues ‘unfortunate’ Robin Koch verdict after two major developments
Noel Whelan has urged Jesse Marsch to refrain from playing Robin Koch as a defensive midfielder for Leeds United moving forward.
The former Leeds striker and club ambassador, speaking exclusively to Football Insider, insisted the 25-year-old is a natural centre-back and “unfortunately” has been forced to play makeshift roles at Elland Road.
Koch replaced Adam Forshaw in midfield for the 3-0 win over Watford.
Meanwhile, Kalvin Phillips came off the bench as he continues to recover from a lengthy injury layoff.
A Leeds source told Football Insider (5 April) that the club are open to offers for Koch, with the Whites in the market for a new centre-back.
Whelan insisted the German should be played as a defender from now on, despite some “fantastic” displays in unfamiliar roles.
Whelan told Football Insider’s Russell Edge: “First and foremost, in my opinion, he came as a centre-half. That is his position.
“Marcelo Bielsa tried him in the Kalvin position and look, it’s a risk for anybody. You’ve seen Mateusz Klich try it and it’s not been successful at times. It’s not an easy position to play.
“Again, there are specifics and expertise about every position on a football field that gives you strength. Whether you move a centre half to right wing-back, that’s a different role altogether.
“It’s a different way and specifications of having to cover round. It might only be three or four metres away, but it’s a specialised position to play. It’s natural to those who have played it all season.
In my opinion, he’s a centre-half. He came in as a centre-half. Yes, you’ve had to use him in certain roles but I’d rather see Forshaw play the Kalvin Phillips role. I think he’s more adapted to that.
“Sometimes you may put Koch in there because you might need more height in the side against certain teams. Also, that defensive capability where you can drop into a three at the back when they’re out of possession.
“These kinds of things, absolutely. But if you’re asking someone to do a Kalvin Phillips job in the middle of the park, that’s really difficult to do for a centre-half in my opinion.
“To me, he is a centre-half as a two or a three. That is what we bought him for. Unfortunately, he’s been put into certain roles and he’s done a fantastic job at times.
“He’s a stand-in for our main central defensive midfield player which is Kalvin.”
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