The English club Leeds announced on Sunday February 27 that it was parting ways with its Argentinian coach Marcelo Bielsa, after a series of defeats, including a 4-0 conceded at home against Tottenham on Saturday. The LUFC has still not communicated on his successor.
Leeds United can confirm the club have parted company with head coach Marcelo Bielsa
— Leeds United (@LUFC) February 27, 2022
“Leeds United can today announce that the club are parting ways with head coach Marcelo Bielsa“, write the Peacocks in a press release. The technician, who arrived in 2018, had brought the club back to the top flight in 2020 after 16 years in the lower divisions.
With only one point taken and 21 goals conceded in the last six games, Leeds 16th with 23 points, is only two lengths ahead of the red zone. But the northern English club have also played 26 games, two more than Everton and Burnley, their two immediate pursuers.
“It was the hardest decision I’ve had to make since taking charge of Leeds United, given all the success Marcelo has had with the club.“, commented Andrea Radrizzani, the president, quoted in the press release.
A coach with a radical and spectacular game, but also an inimitable style off the pitch, Bielsa arrived in Yorkshire in 2018 when Leeds, the former great power of English football, had been vegetating on the lower floors for 16 years.
The 66-year-old coach”transformed the club’s fate on the pitch“, writes Leeds United, who had failed in the play-off to the Premier League in the Argentine’s first season. In the second, Leeds had flown over the Championship (D2), finishing 10 points ahead of their Bielsa’s debut season in the Premier League saw Leeds finish ninth, with their highest points tally at this level since the 2000/2001 season.
This year, the long injuries of Kalvin Philips, the team’s metronome, and Patrick Bamford, his striker, have severely handicapped the Peacocks, who have the worst defense in the championship with 60 goals conceded in 26 games.
“He changed the culture of the club and instilled a winning mentality in all of us. The moments shared, particularly the 2019/2020 season and the club’s rise to the Premier League, will remain etched in our memories for a long time.“, underlined Mr. Radrizzani.