Spanish journalist Guillem Balague says Jesse Marsch did not work as Leeds United boss because he was not Marcelo Bielsa – saying he “completely disagrees” that Bielsa was “perfect” for Leeds.
A remarkable claim. Bielsa joined us in the summer of 2018 and took the club from mid-table mediocrity to ninth in the Premier League, in the space of three years. He transformed us on, and off the pitch.
The Argentine installed himself as a legend of the club and while things ended on a sour note, he is still seen as one of the club’s best-ever bosses – on a par with the likes of Don Revie and Howard Wilkinson.
Balague “completely disagrees” with that notion, that Bielsa was perfect for Leeds – which is the belief of every Leeds fan. The Spaniard also claims that Marsch failed at Leeds, on BBC Radio’s Euro Leagues.
“One of the reasons it didn’t work out was because you weren’t Bielsa. He was considered by the fans, people inside the club as a guru, the perfect manager. I completely disagree, but that’s a different story.”
Guillem Balague disagrees Marcelo Bielsa was perfect for Leeds
What a bizarre claim. Balague is no stranger to making some outlandish comments but to say that Bielsa was not the perfect manager for Leeds is a big one. There is no secret, as to why he’s a Leeds legend.
His work on the pitch, his work in training, his tactics, his relationship with fans, his ability to pull a one-club City together after years of obscurity, his press conferences. Bielsa was chaos, but so is Leeds.
The two combined with perfection and it culminated in an incredible ninth-placed finish after promotion. Things went pear-shaped towards the end, but he needed more funding. Bielsa was perfect for Leeds.
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