So, after years of hurts, numerous missteps and more managers than they can shake a stick at, Leeds United are on the brink of returning to the big time.
Their win over Swansea City on the weekend means that they need just four points from their last three games to secure a place in the Premier League.
It’s a big moment, with Leeds’ efforts to make it back to the top flight well documented and well covered around the world.
Their current situation has been covered by Marca journalist Jose María Rodríguez today who takes us on a bit of a history lesson.
First, he covers Bielsa’s comments after the weekend win, with the Argentine boss stating that the only time to celebrate is after the final game and that there is no time for enjoying the ‘step-by-step process’.
It’s explained that Bielsa isn’t counting his chickens yet as he’s ‘seen them all in their colours’ and doesn’t trust to celebrate just yet despite being close to ending ’17-years of misery’ at the club.
Rodríguez then takes us through history, revealing that back in the summer of 1996 Bielsa went on a tour of England’s legendary stadiums.
That year he’d become a champion with Newell’s, coining his famous phrase “Newell’s” followed by some swear words, and decided to travel to England for the European Championships.
That saw him drinking in the culture and the discovering the ‘cult of managers’ and their statues outside of stadiums.
One of them was the famous Don Revie, whose statue stands proudly outside Elland Road as a tribute to his legendary side of the 1960s.
This is where things get a little strange in the article as Rodríguez lavishes praise on that side then mentions how Brian Clough failed with them, a tale told in the book The Damned United.
Anyway, the journalist’s point is that unlike in Nottingham, Derby and Middlesbrough, where Clough has statues, he doesn’t have one in Leeds.
Revie does, though and Jose María Rodriguez believes that ‘perhaps Bielsa deserves one’ outside of Elland Road too.
