It looks like we’ll never run short of funny stories from the South American media about Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa.
Every time a player who’s worked with him speaks to the local press, there’s either love or anger towards the Argentine boss.
ESPN’s Argentina edition spoke at the weekend to former national team midfielder Kily González. Just like Bielsa, he was born in Rosario. However, he was a fan and player of Central, while the manager made his career at Newell’s Old Boys.
González recalled a funny story from their first time together at the Argentine national team, when Bielsa already knew he was a Rosario Central fan, and went to provoke him following a city derby (via 442).
“I summarise what Central represents in my life. When Bielsa makes the call the first time I see him, he walks behind in the middle of all the players and suddenly, stretching, he stands up in front of me and says: ‘Sorry, may I ask you a question? Do you know how Newell’s and Central came out?”
“Newell’s had won 3-0 and I knew but I told him ‘I don’t know how it came out’. ‘Newell’s won 3-0’, he tells me, turns around and just leaves.”
It was in the 80s and early 90s that Marcelo Bielsa became a Newell’s Old Boys legend, even having their stadium named after him. It was a time when his side would dominate the Rosario derby, so González took the chance to show his feelings about that.
“I was on fire, I thought about taking off my shirt and fighting him while all the lads were laughing, until I shouted ‘Marcelo, you screwed up my adolescence’. He turns around and says ‘I’m sorry’, and left.”
