Maybe flawed is a bit harsh but along those lines.
He is incredibly intense, an obsessive, quirky but also very moralistic. He will not be every owner's cup of tea and if he doesn't believe in a project or he doesn't feel he is getting the right backing, he will not entertain it or just walk away.
A lot of owners would be a little bit unsure of him because he is the absolute opposite of a yes man and is likely to upset their ego's. He is also not the most 'marketable' type of manager for a Real or Barca type club and I have no doubt a lot of top players would have an issue with him as he would work them incredibly hard and they have to 'buy in' to his methods which is a lot harder with established superstars.
There is something in this 'burn out' thing towards the end of his seasons too that has been his undoing a few times and meant he's not maybe got the titles he should have and maybe prevented him taking that next step.
If you've got time, read up on his stint at Marseille as his one season there pretty much sums him up.
I don’t get how you know he has all these mates in the team that he couldn’t possibly leave?
Everyone thinks their team has the best team spirit and what else is he going to say in public - it’s not actually inconceivable he’s missing friends and family down south (I know, what a ridiculous concept for Yorkshire folk to comprehend!) but truth is he was only there for 1 season and knew it was always just that so wouldn’t go public with anything other than saying how much he is enjoying it there -it’s what every successful loan player does at every loan club (before returning back home)
As 'Headliner' states you have to be part of it. I have a mate who is a Leeds supporter and he is certainly not deluded. He gets that Ben white is not theirs but feels that they have developed White. I get that and that is the loan system for you. Big following, yes. Big club, yes. Passionate fans, oh yes. Probably the noisiest bunch ever to grace the Amex. Higher than average deluded fans, undoubtedly yes but not all. Every club has em, even us. So, in my humble opinion Leeds should survive, not sure they will be a Sheffield United but won't be a Villa or Fulham. The trick is to buy wisely and add some decent loan signings in.
Regrettably for them Ben White is ours and he might be gracing Elland Road as an Albion player.
As 'Headliner' states you have to be part of it. I have a mate who is a Leeds supporter and he is certainly not deluded. He gets that Ben white is not theirs but feels that they have developed White. I get that and that is the loan system for you. Big following, yes. Big club, yes. Passionate fans, oh yes. Probably the noisiest bunch ever to grace the Amex. Higher than average deluded fans, undoubtedly yes but not all. Every club has em, even us. So, in my humble opinion Leeds should survive, not sure they will be a Sheffield United but won't be a Villa or Fulham. The trick is to buy wisely and add some decent loan signings in.
Regrettably for them Ben White is ours and he might be gracing Elland Road as an Albion player.
Wife is from Leeds and is a part time Leeds fan. She says that the behaviour of some of the teenagers on twitter etc is doing them no favours in terms of their reputation as one of the most arrogant and self righteous fan groups in Global Football.
Not often I agree with her.
Last time at the Amex they weren’t very loud in the second half.
Mind you, we were 4-0 up by then and,quite a few had gone home.
You got the jester hats ready for your 2 cup finals next year against the Mighty Leeds??
You got the jester hats ready for your 2 cup finals next year against the Mighty Leeds??
Being one of the resident stattos, I'll give you the record between the clubs in the last ten years:
Played 13:
Agree with this assessment. These internet idiots do not represent the Leeds fan base. Last time we went up there we enjoyed a nice chat outside the ground with an older couple who had met whilst at Sussex Uni then moved back up North. They were knowledgeable and not deluded. I wouldn’t even attempt to speak with the minority of know nothing morons that attach themselves to the club.
i would call him complicated rather than flawed.
he has had many offer from clubs but is never interested for reasons like not liking the president of the club, not thinking the training ground is ok, not thinking the city is right for him and then other side when he is maybe keen the club don't want 'his' way and wanr him to compromise, and it is a particular way and not everyone is cut out for it.
i think he is a bit weird. i think his way works if you have players (and a board, owner) who will acquiesce to it and if they can't he walks or causes the opposer to leave (jansson). some say that is a positive, to be so single minded it is your way or not at all. for me i think otherwise. Bilbao played some of the best football i have seen under him, and i have watched him in 2 years turn our shithouse team into one that can actually play ball and win. and he didn't really change much, the core of our team are the same men who played like donkeys under heckingbottom and while they were poorly coached then and it wouldn't have taken much to shape them up, a lot of of praise has to go to bielsa's regime for turning donkeys into footballers.
anyway, it's a game of opinions. I'd like him to say "cheers, i have done what you asked of me" and leave on a high rather than on a cold december night after a dull 1-0 at burnley when things are gloomy.
Why is it an odd number? Did we play them in the cup? (if we did, I have no memory of it)
TY; a few chuckles along the way. Best comment:-
"Smith wanted Maupay but the money was too big"
"I think we're more likely to do a Leicester than a Fulham" has to be up there.
Clearly they haven’t been paying attention to how close Leicester actually came to doing a Fulham their first season up.
i would call him complicated rather than flawed.
he has had many offer from clubs but is never interested for reasons like not liking the president of the club, not thinking the training ground is ok, not thinking the city is right for him and then other side when he is maybe keen the club don't want 'his' way and wanr him to compromise, and it is a particular way and not everyone is cut out for it.
i think he is a bit weird. i think his way works if you have players (and a board, owner) who will acquiesce to it and if they can't he walks or causes the opposer to leave (jansson). some say that is a positive, to be so single minded it is your way or not at all. for me i think otherwise. Bilbao played some of the best football i have seen under him, and i have watched him in 2 years turn our shithouse team into one that can actually play ball and win. and he didn't really change much, the core of our team are the same men who played like donkeys under heckingbottom and while they were poorly coached then and it wouldn't have taken much to shape them up, a lot of of praise has to go to bielsa's regime for turning donkeys into footballers.
anyway, it's a game of opinions. I'd like him to say "cheers, i have done what you asked of me" and leave on a high rather than on a cold december night after a dull 1-0 at burnley when things are gloomy.
Yup, remember that performance at Old Trafford well - Llorente, Muniain and co. A certain David Lopez was on the bench that day.That Bilbao team was incredible. Genuinely some of the best football I've ever seen. They dismantled United in Europe back when that was hard to do.