Phil Hay has given a short and sweet response to Andrea Radrizzani confirming Leeds United remain fully behind Marcelo Bielsa.
The Lowdown: Leeds struggling
After a fantastic maiden campaign back in the Premier League which saw the Whites finish in the top half, the Yorkshire outfit have struggled to hit the same heights this term.
As it stands, they are 17th in the table after 10 matches and, although the recent 2-1 victory over Norwich gives them a little more breathing space, Leeds remain in a relegation battle for now.
Also, Bielsa’s contract is set to run out at the end of the campaign (Transfermarkt) due to his tendency to only sign one-year deals, and it is not yet sure whether he will put pen to paper on a new one.
The Latest: Hay discusses Bielsa future
Speaking at the Lisbon Web Summit, Leeds owner Radrizzani discussed Bielsa’s future. He said (via The Athletic):
“When I got Marcelo Bielsa to come I knew it was going to be a challenge but we support him unconditionally and I think that the results have been seen on the pitch.
“For him, this is the longest (reign) in his career at a club. As a club, we support him and his ideas unconditionally.”
Hay was then asked on Twitter whether he believed these comments could be seen as the dreaded vote of confidence. His response was emphatic:
“Nah.”
The Athletic reporter’s response has gone under the radar with zero retweets and just 13 likes – he has over 210,000 followers on Twitter.
The Verdict: Deserves more time
Even though he hasn’t been at the club that long, Bielsa is a Leeds legend. In the 14 years between the club’s relegation to the second tier and Bielsa’s appointment, 18 different managers tried and failed to return the Elland Road side to the promised land (Soccerbase.com).
It took the 66-year-old two seasons to earn promotion, and the way they took to life back amongst the elite, scoring 62 goals in the league alone (Sky Sports), showed his nous.
Will Bielsa stay beyond this season?
Yes
No
Some of European football’s leading managers, such as Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino (via Give Me Sport), have even named Bielsa as an inspiration.
The fans love him, and that adulation appears to be reciprocated – the former Chile boss has never spent longer as a club’s manager than he has in his current role. Yes, it is a bit of a struggle at the moment, but the man in the hot-seat has earned the right to turn things around.
In other news, Leeds are interested in this Championship star.
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