A hero at Leeds United these days, Marcelo Bielsa has often left a mark on all the clubs he has managed, whether it be good or bad.
His time at Lille was nothing short of catastrophic, for example, yet, by contrast, he is still revered for his season and a bit in Marseille, where Jorge Sampaoli is trying to trundle along in his footsteps.
The comparisons between the two managers are easy to make, seeing as they are both Argentine and play an often neck-breaking style of football, and that’s exactly what L’Equipe did on Sunday ahead of the Ligue 1 side between Lille and Marseille.
Looking at the similarities and differences between the two managers, they focus on four different areas: their style of play, the context of their tenure in the south of France, the player they have both managed (Dimitri Payet) and their respective characters.
Regarding the latter, the newspaper recall how Bielsa chose to reign at Marseille, and describe what sounds like a rather unpleasant atmosphere.
They write: “Bielsa used psychological warfare to create tension, even permanent fear, on all floors of the club. Bordering on paranoia, “El Loco” did not trust anyone, not even his deputies. With his staff, too, he could be brittle and bossy, and it was better not to be the butt of his wrath, or you would be either punished or even threatened physically.
“He didn’t come to blows with Vincent Labrune but maybe he did dream of it sometimes, and vice versa. His relationship with the then-president was always one of conflict and non-existent communication. Everyone remembers the September 4, 2014 transfer window press conference, but also the endless suspense of signing a contract first or extending it later. All this to slam the door after one game”.
It seems the current Leeds United manager has calmed himself down at Elland Road, as the 66-year-old appears far more comfortable in his current Yorkshire environment than he ever did in Marseille.
Perhaps it has something to do with the freedom Andrea Radrizzani seems to give him to do what he wants at the club, clearly trusting him enough to know he will do a good job, which he has more than done so far.
After all, a happy Bielsa is a happy Leeds United, which translates to decent results on the pitch, such as their recent 1-0 win over Watford at the weekend.
