Leeds litter picking - inside the mind of Bielsa
- Published
It is quite possible that nobody alive today has watched more football than Marcelo Bielsa.
The 70-year-old is one of the most respected and influential coaches in the game, and that reputation has been earned from his borderline obsessive dedication to preparation for every single match he oversees.
Bielsa was appointed Leeds United boss in 2018.
He would go on to once again transform players as he famously guided the West Yorkshire club to promotion back to the Premier League in 2019-20.
Another key aspect of Bielsa's coaching philosophy is being humble.
He has always been keen to make sure the players he coached knew they had privileged jobs. He would look for ways to remind them that not everyone shared the same luxuries in life.
"Much was made of a story about [Leeds] players being made to collect litter near the ground," says Spanish football journalist Guillem Balague, who spent time observing Bielsa's coaching methods at Leeds.
"It was done so they could realise that the world was not made up of people living in elitist and privileged bubbles, but rather 'normal' human beings who had to work very hard.
"It's all about setting high standards that will stay with the club long after he has gone."
