Marcelo Bielsa: Leeds United’s Maverick Manager

Where do you even start with Marcelo Bielsa? Arguably the biggest name manager we’ve had since Don Revie (though, even he wasn’t a ‘name’ when he became boss), the Argentine brought the good times back to our football club with an almighty bang.

A clear statement of intent from then minority owners, 49ers Enterprises, in one fell swoop this took us from mid-table mediocrity to Championship title-challengers. And, boy did their decision pay off.

With arguably the same squad, essentially overnight, he turned average players into world-beaters and in his first pre-season, we probably ran more than any other club in the league, all the while instilling self-belief into players and imposing his spectacular brand of football on us. Probably, the best the Championship has ever seen.

Immortalised in murals all around the city, mention ‘Bielsa’ in any pub around Leeds and you’ll probably get an hour’s worth of adoration from at least a couple of fans.

Bielsa: A Character Like No Other

My word, didn’t he bring some surprises – quirky little traits and eye-opening behaviour. The former being the ‘bucket’, the latter being the, quite frankly, hilarious ‘spygate’ scandal. Claiming it was ‘the norm’ while at other clubs to send scouts to watch other clubs train, this almost seems like a page from the Revie handbook and, wow didn’t it cause a stir.

Caught out by Derby County – who, perhaps unsurprisingly got their revenge on us in the play-off semi-finals, it led to a considerable furore. I certainly didn’t know what to make of it.

The traits I referred to, well – it hardly needs explaining. After a few games of consistently sitting on his Leeds United branded bucket, it almost became a meme – shared all over social media and certainly reinforced his quirky character.

It has to be said though, the guy was (and still is) a genius. Basically sleeping at our Thorp Arch training ground most nights, renting a very modest flat close by and even shopping in Morrisons, he was humble to the core and had staunch values.

Inevitable Success Unsurprising

After our disappointment in the play-offs and question marks surrounding his future (he always liked a one-year rolling contract), I don’t think there was any doubt about him signing again.

I thought he seemed more determined than ever to get us up the next season – indeed the pandemic season and wow – we ripped teams apart in style to win the Championship – ironically, a dismantling of Derby securing this. It looked a bit touch and go around January time, but we soon pulled away.

If anything, the lockdown helped us – we probably needed a rest and this meant we came back – again, as the fittest squad in the league.
When we did win the Championship, I thought he definitely deserved the opportunity for fans to show their appreciation, via an open top bus parade, though for obvious reasons, this couldn’t happen.

Premier League Shocks

I was excited at the prospect of a pre-Premier League transfer window under Bielsa – he was obviously a draw for many possible signings and, indeed, we managed to sign some big names. While you wouldn’t put Raphinha in that category at the time, he was arguably the best recruit under the Argentine.

Probably, it didn’t come as a surprise to many when we started the 2021-22 campaign playing the same type of football as we had been doing the previous two seasons and I think that first game against champions Liverpool, at Anfield no less, made every football fan in the country sit up and take notice. It could easily have been a draw.

Bielsa masterminded some superb scalps as well – against the so-called ‘top six’, we either won or drew at least once, while claiming four points against a strong Manchester City side which included a dramatic win at the Etihad Stadium (playing with 10 men for most of it) with Stuart Dallas, getting the winner in the last few seconds to add to his earlier opening bullet.

The second season in the top flight caught us out and we certainly struggled. Bielsa showed his stubborn streak – refusing to change style, keeping a small squad and a heavy training schedule. His time came to an end after Christmas, though, he will go down as one of the most effective and divisive managers in Leeds United history.

As such, read on to find out the highs, lows and the downright genius of Bielsa as I delve deep into his time at our great club.

Bielsa’s Tactical Architecture That He Implemented At Leeds

Probably like every other fan, after watching our first game in charge under Bielsa, I wondered if that was football, then what had we been playing in the years previously? I was blown away; much like Stoke City were after our first game of the season in that comprehensive 3-1 away win. I felt tired just watching it, so our opponents must have been exhausted! We just did not stop running; even making 30 yard sprints in the final 10 minutes; this being complete testament to Bielsa’s footballing methodology.

I later found out that his pre-season was brutal. It all started with fitness and the ability to cover the pitch at high intensity for 90 minutes; the key to out-playing the opposition. In many respects, it reminded me a bit of the methods used by ‘Coach Carter’; a real life basketball coach in the US during the nineties, of which a movie was created.

The Physics Of “Murderball”: Inside Bielsa’s Training Regime

A particular training element that became known as “Murderball” was key to Bielsa’s intense philosophy. Every Wednesday, the players were put through their paces with a series of gruelling 20 minute cycles of football that featured no stoppages and staff constantly recycling balls as soon as one went out of play.

Within these sessions, players were expected to exceed their standard matchday metrics, radically changing their body composition to be able to survive the extremely high aerobic demands; all of their output being tracked and recorded as vital data.

This is where I thought Bielsa was a genius; essentially applying next-level thinking. In applying this approach, he wanted to focus on the psychological conditioning that the Argentine had identified as being crucial for stripping away his players’ hesitation when fatigued; encouraging them to get used to reacting and moving on instinct while their bodies were pushed to the limit.

The 3-3-1-3 and 4-1-4-1 Rotations: How Leeds Built From The Back

Bielsa’s unconventional approach wasn’t just limited to the training ground. He would regularly change formations to counter opponents; his 4-1-4-1 deployed against teams that played with a lone striker, while he would revert to his iconic 3-3-1-3 system to counter opponents who deployed two attackers.

In his first two seasons, these worked phenomenally. We were defensively sound and scored for fun. Our third campaign, back in the Premier League, we were one of the most exciting teams to watch across Europe. Though, it wasn’t easy being a fan. On countless occasions, I was nervous watching us. We always looked like conceding, though we could also score at anytime.

Bielsa’s philosophy was essentially focused around attack and basically the mentality of “if you score three, then we’ll score more”, as evidenced a number of times in some of the most entertaining games I’ve seen us play. I like the fact that in these systems, he took ‘average’ players and turned them almost into superstars.

Patrick Bamford was clinical, Kalvin Philips became one of the most sought-after number six players in Europe and of course, Raphinha who really did go on to become world class. A thirty-something Pablo Hernandez had a new lease of life and played some of the best football of his career under our maverick boss. These systems really got the best out of our attacking players, with relentless pressing of the opposition being the number one demand to make us tick.

In midfield, the relationship forged between Philips and Mateusz Klich who went from being a fringe player to the biggest part of our engine room was synergistic. They were basically re-programmed by Bielsa and his team to receive the ball with their backs to goal under intense pressure and acted as the structural launchpads for third-man combinations.

Our full-backs; Luke Ayling and the mercurial Ezgjan ‘Gianni’ Alioski were two of the most effective in the Championship; trained to fill the inside half-spaces during our build-up while locking down the touchlines during overloads. Their relentless running overwhelmed opponents on the counter-attack and were more than productive with goals and assists.

Man-to-Man Marking: The High-Risk, High-Reward Defensive Blueprint

When I realised that Bielsa had implemented a ‘man-to-man’ defensive tactic I was intrigued to say the least. This is because, Bielsa instructed every outfield player apart from our centre-backs to be paired with their direct opponents; as such, being a complete abandonment of traditional zonal coverage blocks.

Because of the knock-on effect of this, which meant our central midfielders were dragged across structural zones at times, it required a centre-back, such as Liam Cooper to step up into midfield aggressively to suffocate an opposing attacker’s turning circle.

Savvy opponents quickly figured us out; especially in the Premier League and definitely those teams who naturally played with a fluid, interchangeable midfield. It meant that they would naturally drag our central players out of position, creating space for their attackers to flood into and, at volume, often overwhelming our centre-backs.

Even if Cooper stepped up, it would create space in behind, leaving Pontus Jansson isolated and, usually, outnumbered. I remember “that lot” having a lot of joy with this strategy, especially at Old Trafford. Bruno Fernandes was in his element.

2019/20: Unlocking the Crown & Championship Dominance

In securing the 2019/20 title, during a season that was interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic, this was undoubtedly, our crowning achievement. Amassing 93 points and winning with a considerable 10 point margin, at times I thought we looked unbeatable.

Players such as Cooper, Klich, Hernandez and even Stuart Dallas, who I think proved to be one of the best utility players we’ve had for a long time were vital to our success; even a young Illan Meslier showcasing early signs of his ability in goal and helping us to establish the leanest defence in the division.

Bamford was of course, key for us, quickly overcoming early criticism to accumulate 16 league goals and being a major part of our attacking shape due to his intense pressing metrics. I think he was probably the player who Bielsa had the most impact on during his time at Leeds and it definitely showed.

2020/21: Shocking the Premier League Establishment

I mentioned earlier; we took the Premier League by storm in our first season; Bielsa truly introduced himself to the world in explosive fashion. Our first game; a 4-3 defeat to reigning champions, Liverpool at Anfield could easily have gone either way and I don’t think anyone expected us to play with that intensity.

Indeed, at Elland Road, we took points off all of the ‘top six’ sides in our first season, while also beating Manchester City 2-1 away with a dramatic injury time goal from Dallas who scored his second of the game, with us playing over 45 minutes with 10 men. To finish ninth on 59 points, while scoring 62 goals, was practically unheard of for a newly promoted club and it is fair to say that we more than earned respect.

When we first went up, I wasn’t sure how we would play, though was encouraged by our transfer window, with Bielsa approving moves for Rodrigo Moreno, Diego Llorente, Robin Koch and of course Raphinha making up an encouraging summer of recruitment. There is no doubt that we had justifiably earned the Premier League’s ‘entertainers’ badge, with Bielsa becoming a cult figure almost overnight.

2021/22: The Spine Breaks & The Emotional Goodbye

Our second season in the top-flight under Bielsa was if anything, the opposite of our previous one. Plagued by injuries with Bielsa criticised by some corners of our fanbase for over-working the squad, very little action in the summer transfer window and opponents wise to how we play, within a couple of weeks I was already pessimistic.

I could feel something inside the club’s hierarchy was wrong. It didn’t feel as though Bielsa was the same person and it felt like there may have been a boardroom rift. Either way, our results on the pitch worsened as the season progressed and I think it became clear very quickly that the writing was on the wall.

With Cooper, Philips and Bamford all suffering injuries, our spine was essentially fragmented and what was left appeared to be running on fumes. Some brutal scorelines saw fans at breaking point and in February 2022 we claimed the record for the most goals conceded by a Premier League club in one month (20).

On February 27, following a 4-0 defeat to Tottenham at Elland Road, Bielsa, who had refused to compromise on his playing style throughout and with us perilously close to the relegation, was sacked, probably triggering one of the divisive fanbase reactions in our history.

The Blue Bucket Philosophy: The Antithesis Of Modern Football Glamour

During his time in charge, Bielsa became known for his unorthodox style and perhaps, this was none more so typified by his trusty blue bucket, which effectively came to be his trademark.

Never known for extravagance, or luxury, he used a simple blue bucket to sit on during games on the touchline, bypassing the leather heated seat in the dugout as he aligned to tactical focus with many also seeing this as part of his down-to-earth humility.

Outside of the training ground, he lived in a modest flat above a shop in Wetherby, while he would also use a Costa Coffee shop to conduct some of his tactical analysis in addition to often walking the several miles or so to Thorp Arch in full tracksuit.

I think it was actions such as these that particularly helped to endear him with our fanbase. He never forgot his working class roots and his obsession with football clearly translated well.

Despite his refusal to adapt to English and conducting his press conferences in Spanish with a translator (which incidentally gave someone else employment), Bielsa’s typical head-down, intensely respectful interview style, I think radiated a deep and authentic dignity that helped to win over the entire British football media.

The Geography Of Devotion: Transforming The West Yorkshire Landscape

Such was his almost iconoclastic effect on our football club, Bielsa has become a cultural figure; widespread across West Yorkshire and many have paid tribute to his time at Leeds in art form in many places.

Indeed, “Bielsamania” swept through Leeds with such an intensity during his successful periods, with murals painted and Commercial Street being named “Marcelo Bielsa Way”.

Such was the affection for him in Wetherby that locals treated him, not as a global superstar or celebrity, but as a deeply cherished and adopted neighbour, often forming a symbolic protective shield around him; even during the bad times.

The Realignment Of Identity: Repairing The Broken Elland Road Soul

I think arguably the most important thing that Bielsa did for our football club was remind players what it means to play for Leeds United. He gave us our identity back, clearly having done research about us before he joined.

Prior to this, I hadn’t seen any kind of identity from us for a long time; something which I think is key for any football club to be successful on the pitch.

Bielsa gave us that back; especially the fans. He got us excited, became part of the very fabric of the Leeds United family and unified millions.

His core, philosophical belief was that football strictly belongs to the fans; one of his core principles was a working class mentality and famously ordered the squad to spend time picking up litter around Thorp Arch for three hours to make them appreciate the manual labour hours most fans had to work to be able to afford a match ticket.

Effectively, Bielsa completely changed the expectations and self-worth of the entire club with the principles that he put in place, establishing a benchmark and blueprint for success, while entirely restoring the proud and collective soul of Leeds United. Every future Leeds United manager is judged on these metrics and that’s how it should be.

I don’t think Bielsa’s time at Leeds will ever be forgotten. He was a generational manager; one of those that moved the needle and reformed our image, basically in the same way that the great Don Revie did. I am supremely grateful, like many of you are I’m sure, for what Bielsa did for our great club and his time at Leeds certainly will not be forgotten.