West Bromwich Albion manager Carlos Corberán has joked he needed to be a ‘genius’ to keep up with Marcelo Bielsa during his time at Leeds United.
The Baggies boss has been speaking to Plaza Deportiva about his career so far, which has seen him working across the world as both an assistant manager and manager.
He started with Villareal’s C team before moving up at the club to be assistant manager and then moving to Al-Ittihad. He returned to Spain with Alcorcon before a move to Al-Nassr, which was followed by spells at Doxa Katokopias and Ermis Aradippou.
He joined Leeds in July 2017 as the manager of their U21 team but was promoted to the position of assistant manager the following year when Marcelo Bielsa arrived as manager.
What followed was a wild four-year ride under the Argentine coach as he made himself an icon at Elland Road, taking them back to the Premier League and keeping them up in their first season back.
Corberán departed to take charge of Huddersfield in 2020 but still looks back on his time under Bielsa at Leeds with fondness, admitting he learned something new every day thanks to the Argentine.
“Every day with Marcelo, if you take advantage of it, you evolve,” he said.
“I remember spending months working with only one day off between the first team and the reserve team. They were intense days where I learned leadership, group management and training.
“Bielsa has a strong point and that is that he does not have a weak point at a tactical and training level. He’s a genius, because you have to be a genius to keep up with him for so long. In the city they adored him.
“The way of training, defending and attacking are different from what I was used to until I met him. We are all products of people we influence and who influence us. I lived with him for two years that marked me. One absorbs when he is willing to learn, and the ego positions him in a place where it does not prevent him from learning.
“You give without expecting anything in return and with that behaviour you grow and learn. They were very sacrificial years. To take the car at night and drive from where he had played with the reserve team to the first team hotel. I resisted in exchange for learning.”
