Marcelo Bielsa is under no illusions that he is up against an experienced manager in Garry Monk when Leeds United take on Birmingham at Elland Road on Saturday.
Monk quit Leeds at the end of the 2016/17 season and has since been an unpopular figure among the Yorkshire club’s support, even though he achieved a seventh-placed finish.
Ahead of this weekend’s showdown, Bielsa was asked to give his thoughts on the Blues boss, and even though the West Midlands club are yet to win this season, he sees himself as going up against a worthy adversary.
“He was the head coach of a team here who finished seventh. He’s an experienced head coach,” the Leeds boss said, as quoted by Yorkshire Evening Post journalist Phil Hay via his personal Twitter account on Thursday evening.
Bielsa on Garry Monk: "He was the head coach of a team here who finished seventh. He's an experienced head coach." #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) September 20, 2018
OPINION
It is going to be a very interesting game on Saturday. Leeds are obviously in good form, sit top of the Championship table and are yet to lose a game, while Birmingham are 20th, yet to win and have only scored five goals in eight games. Monk is certainly finding it tough at St Andrew’s this term but his side have been impressive against top opposition. Middlesbrough only beat 10-man Blues 1-0 in August, while Monk’s side have also held Swansea, Nottingham Forest and free-scoring West Brom to draws while playing some very good football. Can they stop Leeds from winning this weekend? Probably not, but do not expect Bielsa’s men to open the floodgates because Blues have been quite solid defensively. It should be a good game and very interesting to see whether or not ex-Elland Road boss Monk can annoy Leeds fans once more by denying them a win.