[Albion] From the BBC: Bielsa about us:

[Swansman]

He can speak it perfectly well to the players. He elects to do interviews with an interpreter, like Poch did, so as to eliminate any risk of ambiguity.

Could just do like Sir Alex otherwise, speak his native language which no one understands and then everyone is just going to assume he said brilliant things.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Will they try to mark us man to mammary or go for the money shot with a zonal approach?

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

I'm not even sure he is Marcelo Bielsa. I reckon he's actually Barry from EastEnders and the reason he doesn't talk is because he doesn't want to give the game away.

View attachment 142371

Bamford looks like she’s let himself go assuming this was taken pre season?

 

[Not Andy Naylor]

He can speak it perfectly well to the players. He elects to do interviews with an interpreter, like Poch did, so as to eliminate any risk of ambiguity.

Pochettino's interpreter at Southampton was rubbish. Quite often he wouldn't translate the whole question.

 

[saafend_seagull]

You'd hope that teat is some kind of typo, but it doesn't change the fact that Bielsa joined Leeds in June 2018.

Today, whenever he does an interview, he still uses an interpreter.

If he leaves at the end of the season, he will have spent 4 years in a high profile football manager role, not having learned to speak the native language....

He can speak English.


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[dazzer6666]

I would love the NS to sing/chant this but as we know they can't even sing in unison so no chance.

That’s not in Unison, it’s in Spanish

 

[Eric the meek]

For those who think Bielsa can speak English, here's Bielsa, admitting he can't.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/marcelo-bielsa-regret-english-translator-20495546 - 29 April 2021.

Read it closely. Forget 'bark instructions from the touchline to his players in English'. You could learn that in a day or less.

Watch how he performs in interviews. He gets his interpreter to translate all questions into Spanish. In other words, he doesn't understand English when it is spoken to him.

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

For those who think Bielsa can speak English, here's Bielsa, admitting he can't.

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/marcelo-bielsa-regret-english-translator-20495546 - 29 April 2021.

Read it closely. Forget 'bark instructions from the touchline to his players in English'. You could learn that in a day or less.

Watch how he performs in interviews. He gets his interpreter to translate all questions into Spanish. In other words, he doesn't understand English when it is spoken to him.

I’m always in awe of the Tuchels, Guardiolas, Artetas, Klopps, Contes who can comprehend machine gun English post-match questioning from idiot interviewers who make no concessions and drop in slang words or phrases. I’m sure they only understand half of it, but are always able to reply with relevant and coherent answers.

 

[Cheshire Cat]

He can speak English.


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But does he speak Yorkshire?

 

[AmexRuislip]

I'm not even sure he is Marcelo Bielsa. I reckon he's actually Barry from EastEnders and the reason he doesn't talk is because he doesn't want to give the game away.

View attachment 142371

On his downtime

 

[Bakero]

It that claim based on any actual evidence? Have you met everyone who makes that kind of criticism?

As a language learner and teacher, I'm fairly well-versed in the subject. Learning a language is tough, especially at an older age, and anyone who's done so would be loath to criticise another learner. Studies have shown it's near impossible to become completely fluent in a foreign tongue if you don't start speaking before the age of ten. Bielsa got to England in his 60s.

I've taught students who are very proficient speakers but are still terrified to speak, even in small groups. Despite their language skills, getting them to give a TV interview would be nigh on impossible. Based on that, it's quite possible that Bielsa speaks well but doesn;t want to do so in public.

It didn't stop 70 year old Ranieri. When he first came to England, he couldn't speak English, or at least had an interpreter for interviews.

Ranieri was under-50 when he moved to England. No spring chicken but far from pension age. He's done very well to reach the level he has.

 

[Eric the meek]

As a language learner and teacher, I'm fairly well-versed in the subject. Learning a language is tough, especially at an older age, and anyone who's done so would be loath to criticise another learner. Studies have shown it's near impossible to become completely fluent in a foreign tongue if you don't start speaking before the age of ten. Bielsa got to England in his 60s.

I've taught students who are very proficient speakers but are still terrified to speak, even in small groups. Despite their language skills, getting them to give a TV interview would be nigh on impossible. Based on that, it's quite possible that Bielsa speaks well but doesn;t want to do so in public.



Ranieri was under-50 when he moved to England. No spring chicken but far from pension age. He's done very well to reach the level he has.

Do you tell your students they don't have a cat in hell's chance of becoming completely fluent in a foreign tongue? Isn't that giving them the perfect excuse for failure? Kids, don't worry if you fail. Most people fail, so you won't be alone.

Bielsa isn't 'another learner', because he hasn't learned anything. Nor has he tried. In three and a half years, including several lockdowns.

You need to stop making excuses for failure.

 

[Robinjakarta]

As a language learner and teacher, I'm fairly well-versed in the subject. Learning a language is tough, especially at an older age, and anyone who's done so would be loath to criticise another learner. Studies have shown it's near impossible to become completely fluent in a foreign tongue if you don't start speaking before the age of ten. Bielsa got to England in his 60s.

I've taught students who are very proficient speakers but are still terrified to speak, even in small groups. Despite their language skills, getting them to give a TV interview would be nigh on impossible. Based on that, it's quite possible that Bielsa speaks well but doesn;t want to do so in public.



Ranieri was under-50 when he moved to England. No spring chicken but far from pension age. He's done very well to reach the level he has.

As another language teacher, teacher trainer and learner, agree with all of that (and disagree with all of the post below it). I'd also say that the level of English generally of foreign coaches/managers is remarkably high.

 

[dsr-burnley]

Do you tell your students they don't have a cat in hell's chance of becoming completely fluent in a foreign tongue? Isn't that giving them the perfect excuse for failure? Kids, don't worry if you fail. Most people fail, so you won't be alone.

Bielsa isn't 'another learner', because he hasn't learned anything. Nor has he tried. In three and a half years, including several lockdowns.

You need to stop making excuses for failure.

If he hasn't tried, then he hasn't failed. QED.

Actually, we would need to see his contract to see if he has failed. If his contract says that Leeds expect him to conduct post-match interviews in English, then he would have failed and they would be justified in sacking him. If, as I suspect, his contract is more concerned with Leeds United's success on the field, and is silent about the language of press conferences, then I think he's in the clear.

 

[Eric the meek]

As another language teacher, teacher trainer and learner, agree with all of that (and disagree with all of the post below it). I'd also say that the level of English generally of foreign coaches/managers is remarkably high.

I agree that the level of English amongst other foreign PL managers (Pep, Tuchel, Klopp, Arteta etc) is high. So it should be. That is the standard. They are comfortable in articulating their ideas in English to the players, and comfortable in fielding awkward questions from the media. That's my point. That's where Bielsa should be doing. In stark contrast, in his interview with Leeds Live, he laments his inability to converse in English. He even uses the phrase 'it debilitates me'. If Bielsa himself has used strong language like that, then it's going to be true.

By the way, my apologies to [MENTION=17447]Bakero[/MENTION], for my reply about his students. It was unnecessary.

 

[Clive Walker]

The football genius thing is a bit much

What I see is a bloke who hasn’t won anything of note, has walked out on jobs after only a few days, a bloke who doesn’t seem to change tactic or formation regardless of opposition. He just sets his teams up to run, chase etc.

The only positive is that players appear to embrace it.

However, when the inevitable happens and you’ve got dissolusioned players who are also knackered that is when the heavy losses become more prominent.

 

[southstandandy]

I think GP has a cunning plan this weekend - he's going to play a striker! That will throw Man Bun United.

 

[Swansman]

Do you tell your students they don't have a cat in hell's chance of becoming completely fluent in a foreign tongue? Isn't that giving them the perfect excuse for failure? Kids, don't worry if you fail. Most people fail, so you won't be alone.

Bielsa isn't 'another learner', because he hasn't learned anything. Nor has he tried. In three and a half years, including several lockdowns.

You need to stop making excuses for failure.

1. "Kids, don't worry if you fail. Most people fail, so you won't be alone" sounds like pretty much the most sensible thing anyone could say to kids anywhere.

2. I believe you dont know Bielsa and have little idea of what he has learnt or not.

 

[Eric the meek]

1. "Kids, don't worry if you fail. Most people fail, so you won't be alone" sounds like pretty much the most sensible thing anyone could say to kids anywhere.

2. I believe you dont know Bielsa and have little idea of what he has learnt or not.

Believe what you like. I base my opinion of him on his results, interviews and his mea culpa in the article:

'Bielsa's regret at not learning English yet'

You can find it here:

https://www.leeds-live.co.uk/sport/leeds-united/marcelo-bielsa-regret-english-translator-20495546

It has clearly had a damaging effect on his time here in England.

 

[Dr Q]

I was walking the hounds along the Leeds Liverpool canal near me the other day. Moored up was a small cabin cruiser, not the usual barges you typically see. This thing was decrepit, looked like it was at Dunkirk and got hit a couple of times. Tatty LUFC flag on the stern and in bold letters on the bow ... Bielsa!! Didn't look inside to see if there were any upturned bins