Sack Bielsa

It became a money making machine as soon as Sky got involved and the rest of the media circus.

Let's not kid ourselves too much, if we managed to get a Sheikh Rattle n Roll to bank roll the club and we bought in a cream of top players, were always finishing in the top 4 of the Premiership and frequently qualifying for Europe, are we saying that our collective moral compasses for fair play and to hell with the big money, would get in the way of enjoying the success that we have craved for in what seems a lifetime? No, it wouldn't. Whether we like it or not, football fans are fickle and generally react to here and now and if that meant the trophy cabinet bulging with silverware, not matter the source of funds, the vast majority would take it.

Yes, its a cynical appraisal, but this is football today and it's not going to change for a very long time (unfortunately).

What's done is done, Bielsa will always be in our hearts and never forgotten, but it's time to move on.

In a previous post I was pretty doom and gloom at what this would mean for the team, however no point dwelling on the negative. The best thing that can happen now is that the lads stay in the Premiership which would be a fitting farewell to Bielsa, given that these players are still his. So if it is to be Marsch, let's get behind him and the team and see them over the line. MOT.

Just looked back there at MB's very first league team against Stoke (won 3-1)

Peacock-Farrell

Ayling Berra Coops Douglas

Kalvin

Pablo siaz Klich Ailoski

Roofe

Subs

Bamford

Roberts

Dallas

Magic Hat

Harrison

Blackman

Lewis Baker

8 still at LUFC

3 effectively retired

11 players out of 18 in almost 4 years and if people recall Stoke were one of the favorites to go up that season

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind we had a manager that had integrity, a decent moral compass, and was a genuine nice guy. I wasnt around ER or TA for MB's tenure like the vast vast majority of people typing on keyboards since we heard of the Marcelo's departure. What im basing my beliefs are on the messages of people who were, the players, the staff inside TA, anyone connected to the Club on a day to day basis, they ALL say the same thing

HE BROUGHT OUT THE BEST IN EVERYONE AND HE MADE THEM BETTER FOR THE LENGTH OF TIME HE WAS AT THE CLUB.

I saw Kalvin's post on twitter last night, i read Liam Cooper piece, i read Joffey's mom post thanking Marcelo directly for giving her son the opportunity to fulfill his lifelong dream to play at the highest level, i see hundreds of fans WANTING to go to ER & TA last night just to say their goodbyes in person.

The Board of LUFC have taken a decision to part ways with MB, ok they have business interests at stake and so too will the shareholders and yes money matters but as TGO just posted is this what sport / football is destined to become, a money train?? because if it is then make no mistake about it the Arabs / the Russians / the Yanks (in it already) will take over, where will the beautiful game be then, where will the ordinary joe soap go to see his football at prices he can afford. NO WHERE

I has heartened in Klopp's post match interview when talking about his goalkeeper (young lad from Cork) a lad that played all through the league cup campaign versus picking his number one goalkeeper at Liverpool

he said yes it was a tough decision but how can you look at the guy in the eyes and tell him he isnt good enough for the final,

BUT what struck me most tho was Klopp's line

im a football man yes but im also a human being i'd like to think the human side of me won today.

I would like to think there are some people still in football that have the same decent core values as MB.

Excuse some of the language but I thought this was very eloquently - and passionately - put!

His principles of playing beautiful football were the most important thing to him, more important than playing for the result. How many managers were as humble as him or as loveable? His stubborn streak is frustrating but also admirable, especially in times of "money buys success" culture.

I do hope we hear from the man himself and how (hopefully) he has enjoyed his time with us. Knowing him now as we do, he'll probably say it in perfect English!.

There are strong rumours that Angus Kinnear is going to resign as he was against the sacking of Bielsa. Although Radz made the statement, it seems that the decision was delivered by the 49er's as they panicked regarding the Premiership survival and their future plans.

I guess if and when he does go and provided he hasn't signed any non-disclosure agreement, we may know the truth.

Yep, we'll do just that mate.

The last 2 sentences speak for all of us. Let's break bread on that. 🍻

Soopa,

FIrst and foremost, I didn't ask you to explain, let alone justify to me as to why the board saw it fit not to bring in more quality players to the club.

I merely pointed out what your seemingly beloved board failed to do and yes I pointed towards what you call a few bloopers.

Don't want to pick a fight, but I've just said that I aknowledged what the board did in recruting Bielsa.

Furthermore I never said MB was a god, far from it.

I often said he made mistakes in his loyalty & belief in certain players.

And regarding his tactic(s), there's in fact only one. I critised him for that and the fact that he often, in making one sub he shifted 3 or 4 players into different positions.

Don't know if you read any points I've made about Roberts, I've always maintened that he wouldn't get into another premiership squad, let alone the starting 11.

Having said that, how many mins has Roberts really had this season? I don't like the player (at all) but blaming him alone or his selection for our peril is again stretching the truth/reality.

Having Klich in midfield isn't the real problem, the lad his best position is high up the pitch but with plenty of injuries he was often used in other (deeper) positions. A lack of options forced MB to play him in there.

An empty midfield wouldn't have happened if we perhaps had signed one or two central midfielders. But how long has it been since we actually signed a central midfielder?

Regarding the man to man marking, it was working rather well when we had all our quality players available. The system pretty much failed because of the lack of available quality players, not the system in itself!

So who's to blame for that?

So afterall I've kind of tried to justify why I blame the board. I've not once said MB was beyond reproach.

Could go on and on, but to what avail.

Seemingly in your eyes the board are faultless.

To make things perfectly clear, I do not consider the board to be evil or MB to be a god.

If I was to follow you're logic, the board effed up in appointing MB in the first place.

I'll give it a rest, because somehow we're just all after the same thing.

Hopefully with LUFC remaining a Premiership outfit!

Thank you for our beautiful football Marcelo.... we'll never play like that again unfortunately.

When it clicked it was brilliant to watch....

I hope fans stand outside his home chanting his name to show him how much he is appreciated.

I hope this is his last job at his age as it must be so stressful working on his dossiers and tactics.... good luck MB.

Hopefully a statue will be built for him outside the ground somewhere....

Players should be able to adapt quickly to a new system. Those who play international matches will not play the man marking system they are familiar with at Leeds.

'I will still be singing my heart out, as we nosedive through the Championship and probably into Division 1.'

For goodness sake, 1972Glory, calm down and have a cup of tea!

I take a different view, that a new coach will release all the pent up frustrations of playing for MB and that we'll win at Leicester. Four or five wins from 12 is not impossible and should secure us PL. Next season is next season!

I think deep down we all knew probably Bielsa had gone as far as he could with the players available to him and that this would have been his last season, saying that he did not deserve to leave in this manner. He is a humble sole, so will probably be crestfallen at not being given the opportunity to try and rescue the situation.

I have never witnessed football they way that we were capable of playing and will miss it and Bielsa. Club before self has always been the way, so this is yet another chapter in the long suffering saga of Leeds United supporters.

I will still be singing my heart out, as we nosedive through the Championship and probably into Division 1.

Thanks for the memories Marcelo.

Be interesting to see the new managers first line up. I have a feeling it will be a little different.

A tweak to the defence, ie attacking the ball, a change of striker by using Gelhardt and hopefully dropping Llorente for Creswell. The former has turned into a right basket case recently.

Good luck to the new guy. You have some big boots to fill.

never forgotten

Im gutted that Bielsa has gone, I will look back fondly at his time in charge. The football we have played has at times been majestic. He has transformed average championship players into unrecognisable players. He has galvanised the team and fans as one.

On the flip side, I have honestly been looking at the league fixtures over the last 6 weeks and wondering where our next points were going to come from. Our marking has been terrible and plan A simply hasn’t worked. Teams have brushed us aside far too easily. Our ability to put run teams in to submission seems to have evaporated and in the last few matches the players themselves seem to me to have stopped believing they can win.

I didn’t want it to end like this, but something had to give. We couldn’t keep playing matches were we need to score 3 goals just to be in with a chance of getting a point. Whoever comes in has a major task on their hands, first thing would be to sure up the defence and dare I say it play more cautiously. Possibly even a counter attacking style, we’re pretty good at hitting in the break. There is even a chance that players are Judy not good enough and the new manager gets steamrollered week in and week out too.

Sadly a change needed to come, Bielsa was not for changing so it had to be him.

It’s been said before, but with the play’ers available it will take a miracle to get the team playing well. If Bielsa still had the players’ confidence, he might have saved us. But a new manager who probably will drop the only system the players know, that is the man-marking, it’s gonna be a very tough call. Bielsa did get the most out of players like Klich, Dallas, Cooper and Bamford, and the team over-achieved, as long as they were physically able -exactly three seasons And then the tiredness and injuries took their toll and finished the beautiful era. Here’s hoping for a miracle as well as for the mad-house Leeds used to be not to return.

Where is the evidence for that Soopa?

In January Bielsa openly stated he would welcome reinforcements.

In fact that was perhaps the first & only time he openly asked for them, the board didn't/couldn't deliver.

There was talk of that American player from Leipzig, but as in general not a even a wisper from Bielsa. Did MB insist on James, I for one have not heard anything like that. Not even after that deal had been done.

There was talk of that American player from Leipzig, but as in general not a wisper from Bielsa. Said this some time ago, in football it's fairly clear if players are available for transfer, directors of football & agents talk.

The board deflected responsibility and spouted mist / a smokescreen:

a) any players we sign need to better than those we've got, isn't that something that every single team wants. Would they sign dross?

I can accept the fact that top teams find it difficult to improve their team/squad.

But we at LUFC? Really?

b) pointing towards having worldclass players in the U'23s is nothing short of a joke.

c) the BS spread about potential new players needing months to adapt to MB.

how long did it take him to play James, Firpo this season. Did he take long to start & play Rodrigo, Koch, Raphina last season. Nah.

Sadly, MB has paid the price for their failure.

As Radz says in dismissing Bielsa, "our" expectations have not been met.

Just a pity it's not him & his board that bare the pain.

Be careful what you wish for

Sorry Soopa 'Bullshit'is maybe too strong a word to use.... what I meant was: Rad should have pulled Bielsa into his office and said "look Marcello,I know you like a small squad but this is ridiculous... 3 of our best players are out...including our captain and our midfield general... we need reinforcements and I am instructing Orta to use his network to find us a couple of players to fill in the gaps while they are out...i know you think highly of the youngsters but we need experienced players who can handle the pressure and make a difference... please make use of them at least until we get Cooper,Phillips and Bamford back"