about 10:30 in the morning what were you doing?
You were, if you are a Leeds fans, panicking about the announcement that Marcelo Bielsa was about to call a press conference re spy gate re Derby.
We were concerned he could walk, we had no real idea what was to come but thoughts went to short tenures at other clubs.
2 years later, we're now the club Marcelo has been at the longest.
That is testament to the club and the man.
The club being the owner, management, staff, players and fans.
Radrizanni deserves a lot of credit for being able to create an environment that has made Bielsa feel he wants to be here. Radrizanni doesn't do everything right and this was a desperate measure of a hire, but one that has been proven to be correct and he's made more of a success of it than so many other clubs.
The management and staff for again creating etc environment and culture that Bielsa wants to be in. Am sure there are some bumps here and there but clearly less than a his previous clubs.
The players. They have bought into really hard and intrusive training. They have bought into really having to wait for chances and its really his way or the highway, but if you buy into it, look at etc rewards. Bamford, Philips, Dallas....wow!
And the fans. Amazingly there are some who want to see him gone, but 99.9% of fans realise that this is a special man who has created something special that we will remember for the rest of our lives. It's heartbreaking that we never experienced this season back in stadium to really let Bielsa know how we feel, I hope we have the chance next season.
And finally Bielsa. He's a long way from home, in the most difficult times most of us have ever known. We've had to sell to buy, missed out on promotion and we all wondered would he stay. Is this the same man we read about leaving clubs after a matter of days?
Yes, it is, but the reports dont tell the whole truth. Here is a man full of principle who seems to just ask that you're honest with him and give him what he asks for and you will get what he promised in return.
Not only has he given us wonderful football, improved players and promotion. He has given us pride, made us the talk of the town AND shown the world that there must be something about this club for Bielsa to have stayed here the longest.
Well done all involved!
16th January 2019
posted on 21/3/21
100% Jonty - MB researched the Club and the City and realised it was a very comfortable fit, a unique Manager for a unique club.
Just as important, the fans reciprocated after the first game against Stoke nearly 3 years ago.
posted on 21/3/21
Great post. Yes I was worried but he just did a Bielsa and mesmerised everyone didn’t he
posted on 21/3/21
I never thought, when we were down in league one we could be back playing wonderful football in the premier league under one of the best managers in world football.
We should all thank our lucky stars we finally found an owner who transformed the club ,and left the footballing side to people who knew the game.
Well done Andrea.
posted on 21/3/21
Sorry, should have said great post Jonty, lets hope we keep Bielsa next season, when the fans can show our appreciation to the owner, the board, and the manager.
posted on 21/3/21
#inbielsawetrust
Yep, fabulous appointment and bodes very well for the future👍😁🏆💙
posted on 21/3/21
right on jonty. winning and losing are absolutely not the only thing. the way we play gives me pride in the team i've not had since the league 1 days.
bielsa has righted the ship and i can only see us improving next season.
its great to be a leeds fan again.
it always was, but it's certainly a lot easier.
posted on 21/3/21
When the likes of Mourinho are labelled "the special one" when they take the helm of teams studded with the most expensive players you can get, it makes you wonder what the term ought to be for Bielsa who has taken mostly mid-table Championship also-rans and moulded them into a solid Premier League team.
"The magical one" ?
posted on 22/3/21
Timely, excellent post, Jonty. I wonder what Bielsa is thinking. After all, he has achieved what he set out to achieve, to bring us back to the Premier League and to put the club on a secure footing.
He has been on the LUFC rollercoaster for three years, his family is in Argentina, he is at an age where he will be feeling the effects of a very difficult season, without a proper break from promotion to the Premier League.
It is impossible to quantify his impact on this club, I can only think of the transformation Revie brought about in the 60's as the nearest comparison. He is a living legend and we now appreciate why the fans at Newell's loved him so much, they named a stand after him.
I am sure he is giving a lot of thought to his next step; I am not sure that the decision to stay on will be a straightforward one for him.
posted on 22/3/21
Great post, Jonty.
I think he'll stick with us. I think he may be sensitive to the criticism that, while it's generally accepted that he's one of the best in the game anywhere in the world, and no less than Guardiola and Pochettino have publicly stated how influential he has been in their development, he hasn't actually won many competitions.
Perhaps he considers that he hasn't won enough football games regularly or consistently enough to prove his strategy - attack attack attack - is viable over the long term...to himself.
Perhaps he considers that he still has enough appeal to Radrizzani and Orta, and to us fans, to continue with his personal quest.
Perhaps he considers that at this stage in his life, this will be the last shot he will give himself, considering the amount of energy he must expend in doing what he does, missing family, friends and culture back in Argentina, etc.
And perhaps he's a genuine Latin romantic, not just a little bit in love with Leeds United and the city and county of Yorkshire and the people that live there who have welcomed him so warmly.
I reckon he's still hungry, still has something to prove, and at Leeds he's been fully supported by the management, playing squad, and the club's huge and loyal fanbase. We were still a sleeping giant when he arrived. The challenge was to take us back to top six PL status - what a great challenge for a man like him! But that challenge has not so far been met - as he said himself recently, he doesn't consider he has achieved great success with us yet.
Newells, Atletico, and now us - third time lucky, then? For him and for us!
Bielsa for world president!
posted on 23/3/21
That’s another “Great post”’from me too Jonty!
Summarises almost every key point about Bielsa’s reign since it was first touted that we were after him.