Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola once hailed Leeds United-linked manager Marcelo Bielsa as ‘the best coach in the world’, according to Sky Sports.
Leeds United decided to sack their former manager Paul Heckingbottom on Friday, after only 16 games in charge of the club. He had won only four games, leading the club to a mid-table finish of 13th in the Championship.
Former Argentina and Chile boss Marcel Bielsa has been heavily-linked with the vacant post over the past few days and is understood to be in advanced talks with the second-tier club. Bielsa has been unemployed since he was sacked by Lille in December after a poor run of results.
A potential job in English football could be the perfect next step for ‘El Loco’, as he looks to try out his eccentric tactics in the Championship for the first time.
Many well-known names, including current Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, have previously spoken out in support of Bielsa and his methods. Guardiola, in particular, is a huge fan:
“My admiration for Marcelo Bielsa is huge because he makes the players much, much better. Still, I didn’t meet one guy, a former player from Marcelo Biesla who speaks no good about him. They are grateful about his influence on their careers in football.
“He helped me a lot with his advice. Whenever I speak with him I always feel like he wants to help me.
“It is important for me to say this about Marcelo because it doesn’t matter how many titles he had in his career. We are judged by that – how much success we have, how many titles we have won.
“But that is much less influential than how he has influenced football and his football players. That is why, for me, he is the best coach in the world.”
Leeds United fans will be encouraged that Bielsa has so many big-name fans and will be hoping that their club can get a deal over the line. However, the Championship is a lengthy and unpredictable league, meaning that appointing Bielsa will not guarantee Leeds an instant return to the top flight.
