Former Argentina and Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa has been appointed the new manager of Leeds.
Here, Press Association Sport’s Phil Blanche looks at the career and idiosyncrasies of the man they call ‘El Loco’.
Pitch perfect
Bielsa is known to check pitch measurements before matches. He waits upon deciding on a particular formation until he paces out the pitch. Bielsa’s unorthodox approach also stretches to almost obsessive use of videos – editing and analysing for each player – and allocating separate training times for different parts of his squad, with the defenders, midfielders and strikers working alone.
Pep talk
Trademark tactics
If Bielsa follows his principles expect Leeds to line up in his trademark 3-3-1-3 formation. It is a system which has flummoxed many an opponent and is based on aggressive pressing of the ball and intelligent positioning both in defence and attack. Bielsa also likes to employ a 4-2-3-1 system and demands a huge work rate, which can sometimes put him at odds with his players.
Lazio U-turn
French leave
? Arrivé au terme de la procédure engagée à l’encontre de Marcelo Bielsa, le LOSC informe qu’il a rompu le contrat qui le liait à son entraîneur. pic.twitter.com/mAgBVOp5zf
— LOSC (@losclive) December 15, 2017
Bielsa’s last job at Lille was a short-lived affair. He signed a two-year contract last summer but was suspended in November with Lille second bottom of Ligue 1. It was reported that Bielsa went on an unauthorised trip to Chile to visit former national team assistant Luis Bonini, who was battling stomach cancer. He was eventually replaced in December by Christophe Galtier.
