Marcelo made his mark
Nohan Kenneh didn’t manage to get on the pitch at Elland Road under Leeds United’s legendary gaffer Marcelo Bielsa.
But he’ll never forget the Argentine coach’s influence on him as a player.
The midfielder made the bench for Leeds in the Premier League last season before making a move to Hibs this summer.
And Kenneh believes the intensity of Bielsa’s methods and way of working has made him a better player.
His mentor left Leeds in February in his fourth season at the club.
But Kenneh said: “I don’t have a bad word to say about him because he improved me so much tactically.
“His training methods were no joke, it was intense. The running sessions, the pressing, it was incredible.
“In training we wouldn’t just go up to help the first
team out. We would be a part of it and train with them regularly.
“He loved that, having the Under-23s and first team training together.
“From then, when we went back to our age group we’d be able to show how he works and what we had learned. So when we were asked to do things it was easy to adapt.”
Hibs gaffer Lee Johnston wants Kenneh to be his midfield anchor man and he had the perfect tutor in Kalvin Phillips.
The England star sealed a £ 4 0mi l l ion move to Manchester City thi s summer and Kenneh admits he was a model pro at Leeds.
He said: “He’s a brilliant guy on and off the pitch and really grounded.
“He came back from the Euro 2020 Final, where he was one of the best players, and was just so calm.
“He wasn’t boasting, that’s just the way he is.
“That’s what I want to emulate, what he did for Leeds and England was massive.”