Today marks one year since Leeds United announced the decision to sack Marcelo Bielsa after more than three-and-a-half years at the helm at Elland Road.
For many of us too young to know Leeds under Don Revie or Howard Wilkinson, Bielsa’s exit marked the end of one of the greatest times to be a fan of the Whites.
Bielsa got us dreaming of what could be at Elland Road. It was the Argentinian – not Victor Orta – who ended our wait for Premier League football after 16 years. And he followed that with a ninth-place finish in our first year back at English football’s top table.
Leeds seemed to divide opinion amongst pundits and rival fans like no other. Some absolutely despised the fact that a heavy defeat in that first season would often end with Bielsa’s side being praised for the most exciting brand of football on show in the division.
Despite that, it felt that Bielsa never got the credit that he deserved for the work he did at Leeds. The trio must be sick of hearing it, but turning the likes of Liam Cooper, Luke Ayling and Stuart Dallas into Premier League footballers says everything about his ability as a coach.
And it seemed that some pundits were rubbing their hands with glee when Leeds’ squad was decimated by injury last season. Finally, they were right for saying that Bielsa would eventually burn the squad out.
The problem was, that burnout came after three-and-a-half years.
One year on from Bielsa, Leeds still searching for way forward
Bielsa never got credit for doing all he could to name a squad at a time when other managers were desperate to postpone their games.
In truth, we will probably never know for certain who was responsible for the fact that Leeds did not strengthen in the 2022 January transfer window. But that decision had dire consequences for Bielsa’s time at Leeds.
By the time February 27th 2022 arrived, everyone seemed to know what was coming. Once Leeds finally confirmed the news, the period of mourning could properly start.
It says everything that Bielsa’s departure reduced adults to tears despite his final two games ending in 6-0 and 4-0 defeats.
There was no protracted managerial search on that occasion. Jesse Marsch was waiting in the wings, ready to seemingly instil a more pragmatic approach.
In fairness to Marsch, he deserves enormous credit for the work he did in those first few days after Bielsa. He said all the right things. He acknowledged that the Argentinian was a legendary figure. And he did not, initially at least, pass any judgement over what had gone wrong in Bielsa’s final few months in charge.
A 1-0 loss at Leicester in Marsch’s first game was encouraging. Leeds looked much more solid. And on another day, the scoreline could have been different.
Warning signs under Marsch initially ignored
Any hope that the media would treat Marsch any better than Bielsa was almost immediately dashed when his decision to gather the players and staff in the centre circle at the King Power Stadium attracted ridicule. Of course, at that stage, he had already had to discuss lazy comparisons with Ted Lasso.
Marsch got breathing space from the Leeds fans in those first few months. The anger of a 3-0 loss to Aston Villa was directed solely at the board rather than the former RB Leipzig boss.
But the American also oversaw some brilliant moments. Joe Gelhardt’s stoppage-time winner against Norwich provided the greatest dug-out cam clip you will ever see. And further wins would follow against Wolves and Watford.
A freak run from Burnley meant that Leeds still needed to better the Clarets’ result on the final day to stay up.
Leeds went on to have the day fans could only dream of away at Brentford. Raphinha scored the opener while Newcastle took a commanding lead at Turf Moor.
Brentford would equalise, and Burnley would get one back against the Magpies. But Jack Harrison’s stoppage-time winner confirmed that it would be Leeds staying up.
A clean slate was secured. The Marsch era could finally begin, it seemed.
A promising summer window saw Leeds lose their two best players yet still emerge with a better squad.
Bright start to the season comes to nothing
And seven points from the opening three games hinted that Marsch did indeed have the potential to be the perfect replacement for one of the greatest managers in our history.
However, we did initially ignore some warning signs. Leeds should have won three from three, but a 2-0 lead at Southampton was thrown away when Marsch waited until Ralph Hasenhuttl had changed the game to make any substitutions. Ultimately, the Saints were the ones feeling that they had missed a golden chance to win.
If those warning signs were subtle however, the next batch absolutely slapped us round the face. Leeds would win two of their final 17 league games under Marsch.
There were some bright moments. A spirited performance against Arsenal showed that the Whites could do so much better. And there was a brilliant win against Liverpool, as well as a superb fightback against Bournemouth.
But by the time Leeds let the second-half completely pass them by at Nottingham Forest earlier this month, the writing was absolutely on the wall for Marsch.
So, another managerial change in February was required. Unlike the previous year, there was no swift appointment this time around.
Eventually, Javi Gracia got the job. It looked to be a smart choice by the time it was confirmed. But it is also fair to say that the Spaniard was not being talked about by anyone as a potential replacement when Marsch was sacked.
The very early signs suggest that Gracia’s appointment could work. Leeds beat Southampton in his first game in charge.
It was not the demolition that Leeds produced when Stoke City became the first opponents of the Bielsa era. But it was a win at a vital time for the Whites.
So, one year on from Bielsa, have Leeds moved forward? Absolutely not.
But could that soon change?
With the squad we now have and the new manager in place, perhaps it could.
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