Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has claimed that his experience of managing international teams means he has an advantage over his fellow Championship bosses.
The Argentine has made a stunning start to life in the second tier, leading the Whites to the top of the Championship table and an unbeaten start.
And he has now revealed the secret to his success: “I have an advantage that not every head coach has,” he told the Daily Star. “During 10 years in my career I worked as a head coach of national teams.
“This allows me to develop mechanisms so you can transmit features to a team in a fast way. When you prepare for a game with a national team, you only have two days. And you have one game per month. Not every coach has to face this type of situation and you can’t learn how to solve problems you don’t face,” he said.
OPINION
The 63-year-old Bielsa has managed Argentina and Chile over a storied managerial career, and now he is bringing that experience to bear in the Championship with Leeds. What he’s saying here makes a lot of sense, too. You don’t have much time as an international manager, so you need to be able to transmit idea to your players quickly and effectively. That’s a tool that would also be useful in the hustle and bustle of the second tier – something that Bielsa is demonstrating with his terrific Leeds side. The Whites are top of the league, unbeaten and playing some glorious football. The former Marseille boss has transformed the team, and they look a good bet for promotion contenders at this stage. Bielsa has so much experience, and it appears that he’s willing to use every ounce of it to try and fire Leeds back to the promised land of the Premier League.