BIELSA’S LEEDS UNITED
Players have bought into his methods, they trust him... but boss will need real leader like I had in Strachan next season
HOWARD WILKINSON has more in common with Marcelo Bielsa than meets the eye.
It’s 30 years since Wilkinson took Leeds United back into the old First Division – and then, two years later, guided them to the title itself.
He is still the last English manager to win the title.
And, as Leeds prepare to return to the Premier League after a 16-year absence, the Yorkshireman believes Bielsa has a much tougher task beating Jurgen Klopp and Pep Guardiola than he did in the days when Alex Ferguson, Kenny Dalglish and George Graham were in their pomp.
Like Bielsa, Wilkinson had an unrelenting training-ground work ethic.
“I don’t know Bielsa and I’ve never met him,” said Wilkinson, who is now 76 and works on UEFA’s pro-licence course and as chairman of the League Managers Association.
“But it’s clear from everything I’ve heard that he’s a man who is comfortable in his own skin. He won’t change for anyone. He believes in his methods – and, most importantly, he gets his players to believe in them too.
“I like that a lot. The key for any successful manager is to command the respect and trust of your players.
“You don’t have to be liked. But if you can tell your players, ‘Believe in what
I’m doing and we will share the success’ and they buy into that, then you’re on your way.
“Can Leeds now do what my Leeds team did in 1992? I don’t think so.
But they can compete.
“Look at Chris Wilder at Sheffield United and
Sean Dyche at Burnley. I’ve got nothing but admiration for them because they are proving that you can be successful with good leadership and coaching.”
Leeds were second bottom of the old Second Division when chairman Leslie Silver and managing director Bill Fotherby persuaded Wilkinson to leave top-flight Sheffield Wednesday. Silver agreed to provide £3million for new players – and Wilkinson splashed some of the cash to beat the Owls in a race to sign Gordon Strachan from Manchester United.
It was a masterstroke. Wilkinson said: “I can’t stress enough how important it is for a manager to have leaders in your dressing room – and Gordon became our leader.
“I still get told regularly that when I sold Eric Cantona to United a couple of years later, he was the final piece in Alex’s jigsaw.
“But what isn’t mentioned is that, when we signed Strachan from them, it was a big factor in us going from the Second Division to becoming league champions.
“Bielsa will need that kind of influence in his team next season. The problem is that there aren’t too many players like that available.”
Wilkinson added: “I used to ask my lads whether they wanted to come off the pitch with a victory or to come off the pitch having enjoyed the game and played well.
“Of course, they always wanted both, but the priority always must be the first option.”
Bielsa has harnessed the power of the Elland Road fan base in the two seasons he has been at the club – and Wilkinson believes they will play a big role next season.
But he admitted: “I remember in my early days at Leeds getting the ground staff to hang microphones from the roof of the Kop end.
“I wanted the crowd noise to be increased at certain times of the game to give us an advantage. Somehow I don’t think Bielsa will have to do that!”