The ‘whole city of Leeds is crying’ after Marcelo Bielsa’s time at the club was brought to a premature end.
That’s according to journalist Gert Verheyen, who has lavished praise on the Argentine boss following his departure from Elland Road.
Bielsa was sacked by Leeds last week after a dismal run of form had seen them slide towards the relegation zone.
It meant a sad end for Bielsa at the club, after a glorious four years in which he had led Leeds back to the Premier League following a sixteen-year absence and then gave them a super first year back in the top flight.
All of this was done via an extremely entertaining brand of attacking football and a connection with the fanbase that most fans and managers can only dream of.
Indeed, Bielsa will remain a legend in Leeds long after his departure, with the fanbase’s love for him, demonstrated hours after his departure, when the Argentine was mobbed by fans who sang his name and thanked him for his efforts.
That is not something many managers experience when leaving a club, and Verheyen says the city, not just the club, are all saddened by how things have ended.
“You never hear anything bad about him. Not from players, not from supporters,” he told Het Nieuwsblad.
“The whole city of Leeds is crying now because he’s gone. And when you talk to other trainers- on a course- his name comes up after ten minutes.”
“Simeone, Guardiola, Pochettino: he inspired the greatest trainers of all. The strange thing is that his disciples are winning prizes everywhere.
“He only has an Olympic title with Argentina on his record. And a lost Europa League final with Bilbao. He never trained in the Champions League, for example.
“But what an inspired personality. He talks for half an hour about a player walking free. Bielsa is an absent-minded professor, but he stands for spectacular football, full of risk.
“Now Leeds are still playing with guys who came up from second division. Kalvin Philips and Patrick Bamford, who even made it to England. Bielsa makes players better.”
