Gordon Strachan heaped praise on Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa and claimed he was able to enjoy games as a fan under the experienced veteran.
The former Leeds player cracked a joke about the spy scandal when being asked about the current Whites manager but then proceed to rave about the Argentinian boss.
Strachan shared how he had been able to watch the Whites like a fan due to the way Bielsa encourages exciting football to be played as they often saw games won at the death.
“Well I thought I spotted him in my garden the other day… see if he can pick up any tips but no he’s original where ever he goes and I like that about a coach who tries something original, sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t, it’s definitely working here” said the 62-year-old on Radio X (9:30am, Thursday February 21st).
“It’s exciting watching Leeds on TV, I think I watched a game under Bielsa a couple of months ago, we tuned into fans and it’s not often I get the feeling of being a fan because I started being a professional footballer 47 years, so not often you turn into a fan, but it’s a game you won right at the end.
“So we’ve turned into fans and that’s great.”
OPINION
Strachan may open his verdict on Bielsa with a joke but it’s clear he respects the manager for his previous work as well as what he is achieving currently at Elland Road. Given that there was lot of hype around the Argentinean arriving at the club to pick up the reigns at Elland Road, it’s quite the achievement he has lived up to his reputation. The Whites seemed to be more at the risk of relegation than achieving promotion last season but that is far from the case under Bielsa. The experienced manager seems to have the Whites squad all steaming towards the Premier League and there’s even a chance they could lift the league title in the process. Given that a lot of Bielsa’s squad were featuring for a struggling Leeds’ side last season, you have to credit the manager for being the driving force behind the drastic change in fortunes. With Strachan highlighting how exciting Leeds are to watch, it’s fair to say that many supporters will agree with him.