OPINION
No wonder Premier League executives are starting to sit up and take notice at what Marcelo Bielsa is achieving at Leeds United.
West Ham vice-chairman Karren Brady has been blown away by what the Argentine manager has achieved at United and dedicates her weekly football column in the Sun to hailing his efforts this season.
The outspoken first lady of football gushes over Bielsa’s “Napoleonic tactical skills” and Leeds’ “most remarkable manager since Don Revie” who is “their own Special One”.
Brady rarely fails to be anything other than great copy, but she has hit the nail on the head as far as the bucket-sitting coach is concerned.
Bielsa was widely seen as taking a step down when he accepted Leeds’ offer to lead their promotion pursuit following 14 years in the lower league doldrums.
His own career had endured a few bumps and scrapes in recent years despite a glittering reputation that was enough for United to push the boat out and hand him a salary said to be worth £40,000-a-week, the most they have paid to a manager since their Premier League glory days.
But Bielsa’s name will surely be on the lips of plenty of other Premier League executives following the remarkable transformation of a Leeds team that stuttered to a 13th place finish last season.
With United top of the Championship on the back of a seven-match unbeaten run, the coach responsible is suddenly hot property.
Leeds could have a major job hanging on to him as the big guns begin to circle.