Marcelo Bielsa had a question. The new Leeds manager wanted to find out how hard the average supporter had to work to pay for a ticket to watch the team. How many hours did he or she have to put in? It was unclear what kind of calculations went into the answer but one was provided. It would be about three.So the Argentinian called his players together and he told them that, for the next three hours, they would be picking up litter from around the club’s Thorp Arch training ground. He wanted them to learn a lesson; to appreciate how the fans laboured to fulfil their passion.t was classic Bielsa on many levels, taking in his empathy for the worker, his fixation with discipline and team spirit and, above all, the quirkiness and unpredictability that has led to the “El Loco” nickname. The 63-year-old is not crazy. It is just that his obsessive nature, ferocious intensity, eccentricities and refusal to adhere to convention can make him seem that way.When Bielsa strode into Leeds on 15 June to replace Paul Heckingbottom, it quickly became clear the club would never be the same again. The stories of Bielsa’s attention to detail are already legendary. He runs his forefinger across various surfaces at Thorp Arch to check for dust, invariably being appalled at what he finds, while he once inquired why there was a bootprint on a wall – about half a yard from the floor.It was explained to him that, perhaps, it was the result of somebody leaning back against it, with his or her foot up. “That shows the person is not concentrated on their work! Unacceptable!” Bielsa exclaimed. Leeds have had and do have bigger problems than the odd dirty mark but this is Bielsa, the perfectionist, and this is how he intends to drag the club up by their bootlaces: little bit by little bit. Full article - https://www.theguardian.com/football/2018/aug/04/leeds-united-marcelo-bielsa _______________________________________________ Leedslist mailing list Info and options: https://mailman.gn.apc.org/mailman/listinfo/leedslist To unsubscribe, email [email protected]
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