Last update 8 April, 2024 by Alberto Llopis
Argentine coach collects multitude of anecdotes and own follies of someone who is unique. Crazy for some and great for others, but Bielsa rarely leave anyone indifferent. Without mincing words, his vehement character has left many phrases and mythical actions for remembrance. We recall some of the best anecdotes and stories Bielsa He has left to remember.
He planted himself at a gala dinner in a tracksuit, the same one with which he could be seen making the purchase in Leeds
The English club fulfilled 100 years and celebrated with an excellent gala dinner where all attendees had to attend dressed as he played. Everyone except the Loco who showed up with the club's tracksuit to said dinner, causing a sensation. It was also common to see him in the supermarket near his house with his beloved tracksuit..
He asked his team to score a goal
He starred in Leeds which is one of its greatest peculiarities. They played the Leeds and Aston Villa in the penultimate round of the Championship 2018-19 with both teams no longer direct promotion possibilities and with the 'play offs’ insured.
He Leeds of the Fool, I will advance the minute 73 while a player of Villa was on the floor. Neither short nor lazy, The Argentine coach asked his players to let themselves score the tie. Villa took off and scored without opposition rival, only from defender Portus Jansonn who disobeyed the order of the Fool. That year he could not ascend but luckily, a season later promoted to Leeds in the 19-20 to the Premier League after 16 year absence. This was well reflected in the Leeds documentary in Amazon Prime ‘Take us home’.
Spygate, his first major controversy in England
El Loco messed it up when he sent a spy to watch the training of the Derby County at that time directed by Frank Lampard. Apparently, one of his assistants cut the training ground fence with pliers and was caught spying on the rivals' session. When the case came to light, Bielsa acknowledged having sent a spy claiming that this was normal in South America. Besides, gave a press conference of an hour and a half where he explained all his methodology and how he handles the data of all the teams in his league. A great controversy broke out that months later ended with an economic fine of 220.000 pounds that he Crazy Bielsa asked the club to pay out of pocket.
It was to give the last goodbye to his friend Bonini although cost him the job
When there is loss of life at stake and especially if they are from people close, everything else has to go into the background. Something that perhaps did not understand the directors of Lille in Ligue 1 french. Bielsa, who seeing his former colleague and friend coaching staff Luis Maria Bonini his remaining few hours of life, he decided to travel to Santiago to bid farewell to his friend and spend the last moments of her life with him.
Something in which Lille did not sit well and threatened and suspended Argentine he ended up losing his job soon after. Loco's answer was clear: "I'm going to see my friend. Do what you have to do ".
It does not stop at nothing
In its beginnings in Newell's he was commissioned a mission to search, find and recruit new promises that period could play in the first team. True to his character, seventy points marked on a map of Argentina and climbed into his car. It was from town to town looking for talent, peguntaba who stood, and if he saw convinced him, I fichaba. He did not stop anything. A signed him with Mauricio Pochettino 13 years. Curiosity time, He was at three in the morning when he appeared at his house to convince her parents.
With the Loco Bielsa is not played
Marcelo Bielsa It is a type of those who would like to be around, an obsessive of their profession. So it is even able to get into other fields that are not yours. In the summer of 2012, he Athletic de Bilbao, It started some works to reform Lezama. When Bielsa I arrive, He oversaw the works. When they are disagreeing as they were doing things, he personally went to speak to the site manager.
The result was that ended in hands, with crazy plan "Karate Kid" assaulting the manager of the work. After a press conference declared : "I auntoinculpo for assaulting the site manager, but the works of Lezama is theft and scams ". Next to nothing.
Crazy always goes against
One day he asked his players to vote who wanted to play system, If a line of three or four. The players did the counting and the players had decided that the system should be used with online play four. Bielsa after writing down the results on a blackboard addressed the players and told them: "I see you have decided to play with a line of four, I inform you that we will play with a line of three "and made clear that he, It was in charge there.
He directed training from a desktop
Bielsa It is so peculiar that it had no other idea to install a wooden desk atop a step to follow his first practice with the French Lille from there. The 'Loco' train headed from a desk located in one of the stands to see from a distance the field. That day and decided to take a 12 Players Club. The most peculiar coach in the world.
Crazy is not hidden to anyone
Circulated a story even without verifying, that some disgruntled fans were planted at the door of his house to ask for explanations. Bielsa, a very peaceful and comprehensive type, he decided to leave to receive such friendly fans. Best of all, the gift in his hand, a grenade. It is said that consensus was short and ended up giving the reason to Loco.
He told Fernando Redondo that he didn't like him
Being Argentine coach traveled to Europe to visit players who militated in the old continent. He met Fernando Redondo who told : "I do not like you, but I have come to see everyone ". Before a Colombia-Argentina went into the locker room and told his players: "There are two kinds of fighters in street fights. Sticking sees the blood and recoils and sticking, He sees blood and will kill. I come from out there and I swear that smells of blood ".
Bielsa's obsession with video analysis
The coach is a manic videos. So he came to settle a television with a VCR for VHS of the old in a van to review them as he moved. Argentina training, was taken to Korea and Japan World Cup 2002 more of 7000 Video Information. Although it did not help much, They did not pass the first phase of the tournament.