I was a bit part player for Leeds United until Marcelo Bielsa arrived, he made me feel ‘invincible’ — Leeds United News 14/12/24

-

Luke Phelps

Marcelo Bielsa delivered Leeds United back to the Premier League in 2020, following a 16-year hiatus from the top flight.

Former Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is now in charge of the Uruguayan national team where he’s looking to add more international silverware to his CV.

The 69-year-old has four promotions to his name as a manager: three in Argentina and then his 2020 promotion with Leeds United, which remains a very fond memory for supporters.

Now, it’s Daniel Farke who’s trying to take Leeds back to the Premier League after what will be a two-year hiatus from the English top tier, and his side are well on track.

Last time out, Leeds United cruised past Middlesbrough in a 3-1 win under the Elland Road lights, taking on Preston North End in their next outing.

Speaking on Friday though, Farke has played down Leeds United’s promotion chances this season, with the Whites currently in 2nd place of the Championship table behind Sheffield United in 1st.

One player who was with Leeds during Bielsa’s reign and then under Farke was Stuart Dallas.

The former Leeds fan favourite was forced into retirement earlier in 2024, with the 33-year-old’s knee injury having kept him sidelined for two whole seasons.

But the Northern Irishman has been working as a pundit. He’s also been speaking a lot about Leeds, appearing on LUFCinema where he discussed his successful nine-year spell with the club.

Dallas spoke at length about Bielsa, too. Before Bielsa arrived, Dallas was something of a bit part player, often playing in various positions and never really seeming like a key player as such.

But Bielsa’s tactical nous completely revamped Dallas’ Leeds career. Dallas said: “He seen something in me that nobody else seen.

“My biggest strength was my running power and the way we played, especially when we were in midfield, the way we played with a number eight, he just wanted you to run.

“And if you looked back to the goals, even when [Mateusz] Klich was playing in the no.8 position, the runs he used to make all the time, and Marcelo used to show me these clips before games, he would obviously have done an individual meeting with the players every Friday night or Saturday morning, and he used to tell me, ‘You can make that run’.

“He used to make me feel, almost at times, invincible.” Dallas later added: “Marcelo made me. Let’s be honest.”

Bielsa is definitely a revered name in football. Dallas’ story is one of many that highlight just how good of a coach and man manager he really is.

And there’s perhaps no better player to receive praise from than Lionel Messi. Speaking in 2023, Messi praised former Leeds United manager Bielsa and his style of play with Uruguay.

Messi said: “You can see Bielsa’s hand on the way Uruguay is playing. In all the national teams or clubs, including Argentina, his style was very recognizable. And he has a good generation of players [in Uruguay].”

Farke now has to try and recreate Bielsa’s heroics in the 2019/20 season, starting with a trip to Preston North End on Saturday afternoon.

Popular posts from this blog

The huge initial fee Leeds are set to receive for Crysencio Summerville’s move to West Ham — Leeds United News 31/7/24

-
Will Butcher West Ham United are closing in on a deal to sign Crysencio Summerville from Leeds United, and Ben Jacobs has shared how much Leeds will receive for the Dutchman. The 22-year-old has been strongly linked with the Elland Road exit door all summer and was targeted as the one big sale Leeds needed to make before the Profit & Sustainability Rules deadline this month. But instead, Leeds sold Archie Gray for £40m to Tottenham. Leeds have since sold five more players in the form of Diego Llorente, Marc Roca, Kris Klaesson and Charlie Cresswell – raking in around £60m in total. But more exits were always likely and Fabrizio Romano reported on Wednesday afternoon that West Ham had agreed personal terms with Summerville, and talks for a fee were ongoing with the Yorkshire side. Now, the story has moved on with multiple sources claiming a deal is done between Leeds and Angus Kinnear’s old club. The Dutchman is expected to sign a five-year at the London Stadium, until Jun...
Read more

Leeds United board break silence after transfer window with statement on upcoming Elland Road development — YEP 2/9/24

-
By Joe Donnohue Leeds United have confirmed supporters' commemorative stones at Elland Road's Centenary Square will be replaced free of charge in a bid to improve their longevity. Beginning next month, Leeds supporters' personalised stones will be replaced with exact replicas, courtesy of a new company, to ensure of a 'much better quality' installation. The work is expected to take around two months to complete. An official club statement confirmed 'three larger stones dedicated to former managers Don Revie, Howard Wilkinson and Marcelo Bielsa' will also be installed, 'similar to those located in Bremner Square', while additional space for supporters to purchase new stones has also been factored into the project. “The club have taken on board recent feedback from supporters on the stones at Centenary Square, and we are really happy that we can now announce that all of the stones will be replaced," chief executive Angus Kinnear confirmed,...
Read more

Leeds United transfer state of play as Whites knock back low bid and assert wing pair stance — YEP 3/7/24

-
By Graham Smyth Leeds United are not actively looking to cash in on Crysencio Summerville and Willy Gnonto and believe any further outgoing transfer business will be done on their terms. The Whites, who sold Archie Gray to Tottenham Hotspur on Tuesday for £40m, expect that there will be continued interest in wing pair Summerville and Gnonto as the summer transfer window progresses. Summerville has been a target for Premier League side Brighton and Hove Albion but their interest has not yet materialised into a bid. The Albion did, however, send a £30m proposal for Georginio Rutter, which Elland Road chiefs rejected. Rutter is not expected to try and force an exit this summer and appears settled at Leeds after a far more positive second season in English football. The sale of Gray has helped put Leeds into a position where they do not need to sell star players and can dictate any moves that do happen. Club sources say they are not actively looking to sell the likes of Summerville o...
Read more