BIELSA: RODGERS DOING AN INCREDIBLE FOXES JOB

LEEDS boss Marcelo Bielsa has paid tribute to Brendan Rodgers by claiming his Leicester counterpart is a better manager than he was at the same age.

Bielsa, 66, has been an inspiration for Pep Guardiola, Jurgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel during a 40-year coaching career that began in Argentina and has taken him to Mexico, Chile, Spain, France, Italy and Elland Road.

But he insists Rodgers, 48, is something special – despite being coach of Argentina’s star-studded national team when he was the same age as the Northern Irishman.

Bielsa said: “I think Brendan Rodgers right now is better than I was at his age.

“When I was his age I had control of a lot less things than he does at a club. To be able to do what he does and be very keen.

“When I was his age there were just three of us surrounding a whole team.

“Now you have the manager and apart from the players, 25 other people to control in order to take them forward.

“From my point of view, Rodgers is one of the most revered coaches in this league.

He manages to improve all his individual players and doesn’t just have one tactical formation. He makes changes constantly. And he makes those changes with sense.

“All of the different formations are very well thought of and very well oiled.”

Rodgers (right) is highly regarded in the game and has been touted as a possible successor to Guardiola at Manchester City and a potential Manchester United target if Ole Gunnar Solskjaer’s struggles continue.

He was also linked with the Newcastle job following the recent £300million Saudi takeover at St James’ Park.

But while the Foxes lifted the FA Cup and came within a whisker of qualifying for the Champions League last season, they have also struggled for consistency this term.

Leeds moved out of the relegation zone with a victory at Norwich last week. It was only their second win of a season that has been troubled by injuries to key performers like Patrick Bamford, Kalvin Phillips, Raphinha and Luke Ayling.

Bamford, Ayling and Robin Koch will still be missing when Leicester visit Elland Road, while Jamie Shackleton and Junior Firpo are doubtful.

Leeds chairman Andrea Radrizzani has already given Bielsa his full backing.

But the Italian businessman claimed during the week that he believes the Yorkshire club will break into the top six next season.

Bielsa said: “What I believe is that the chairman is an ambitious person and usually achieves his objectives.

“He generates a process of how to get there, backs it up and constructs a way of getting them. But I never talk of the future, the present occupies all my time.

“It’s normal the person in authority at a club imagines the future and builds for that. But that’s not like the day-to-day management.”