When Marcelo Bielsa arrived in West Yorkshire, the radical nature of the appointment was made abundantly clear as the side were ordered to strip the club’s training ground of litter for three hours.
The reason? He wanted his newly acquired squad to know just how long it took for the average Leeds fan to afford a match-day ticket.
To the trained eye, this was typical behaviour from the Argentine head coach from his exploits abroad, but for those who were blissfully unaware of his unorthodox approach, they were immediately introduced to the nonconformist character of his management.
When Bielsa rocked up at Elland Road for his interview, he presented the club’s hierarchy with a dossier; in which he gave an in-depth run down of every Championship club’s formation and tactical approach for the upcoming season. Yes, all 24 of them.
His methodical and obsessive nature was thus confirmed amongst the English press. It is an approach, along with a unique tactical style, that has him lauded as one of the world’s greatest football coaches.
Bielsa’s methodology has graced an array of current top managers, all of which credit him with influencing their own individual successes. The list includes Diego Simeone, Mauricio Pochettino and Pep Guardiola to name a few.
He has done an exceptional job, he is unique in world football because of the special way he plays. I learnt a lot about his style, his final product. He’s an incredible person, so special.
– Pep Guardiola
Before his illustrious reign at Barcelona, Pep flew out to Argentina to consult with Bielsa, someone he idolised for his strict systematic slant through his time in La Liga with Athletic Club. But where did it all begin for the man dubbed El Loco?
He landed his first managerial role at just 25 years old, becoming head coach of Universidad de Buenos Aires. Bielsa allegedly scouted 3,000 players before selecting his squad of just 20 men, an eye for detail that was wholly unusual for an amateur outfit.
From there, Bielsa landed a job in the youth ranks of Newell’s Old Boys before taking the helm at senior level. La Lepra would later name their stadium after him. Bielsa then moved to Mexico with spells at Atlas and America, before heading back to Argentina to manage Velez Sarsfield.
Now you get it, right? pic.twitter.com/b6W31tePKv
— Newell’s Old Boys – English (@Newells_en) July 17, 2020
When interviewed for the job at Velez in 1997, Bielsa brought with him 51 tapes of analytical footage in order to justify his attempt claim the role. Upon taking charge, he tried to incorporate computers to gain statistical data which, in the late 90s, was a pioneering move.
Velez went on to claim the 1998 Clausura which ignited interest from Europe. After a brief stint with Espanyol, Bielsa went into international management and lengthy spells with both Argentina and Chile followed. The latter of which is arguably his most successful, until a fallout with with the Chilean FA prompted his resignation.
Bielsa achieved god-like status in Chile, but his zero tolerance approach to hierarchical disputes has seen him described as a stubborn old mule of sorts.
El Loco then landed in Bilbao for his interview with a colour coded breakdown of every Athletic Club match from the previous season. He was to have his longest club managerial stint with Los Leones, lasting 113 games before his contract was run down.
A move to Ligue 1 was next, finishing 4th with Marseille in his debut season. All was looking well until an opening day defeat to Caen the following term elicited another resignation, a fallout with management was the reason cited.
Not a single minute of football was played with his next club Lazio before, you guessed it, he terminated his contract. Bielsa didn’t even unpack his suitcase, lasting just two days in Rome. The club did not deliver on their promise of certain players and that was enough to walk away.
A disastrous spell with Lille followed, where he was suspended by the club for plummeting into the relegation zone. Bielsa attempted to freeze out the experienced players of the squad in order to implement a more youthful side, a decision that was largely scrutinised. He lasted just 19 games before being relieved of his duties.
Upon joining Leeds, there was an element of uncertainty regarding the unpredictable nature of El Loco. It is one thing to have top managers speak so highly of his approach, but his recent track record suggested an element of risk was involved.
Everything happens for a reason and you sense that Bielsa experienced all of that turbulence to one day end up at Leeds. And as we now know, it was a match made in heaven.
The idiosyncratic crouching on the touchline, wearing a full tracksuit to Morrisons or holding team meetings in Costa, his modest approach has resonated wholly with the Leeds faithful.
As the club end their 16-year hiatus from the Premier League, the risk has exceeded all expectations. Bielsa has steered the side into a vibrant new era at Elland Road, and we cannot wait to see what they can do in the top-flight next season.
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