24 Jan 2022 22:35:11
Was going to post yesterday that I feared any chance of a recall for Bogusz was over, having spotted that he was taken off after 22 minutes of Ibiza’s latest game, having already racked up another assist.

Some of you may have seen that today that Ibiza have confirmed the poor lad has a torn anterior cruciate ligament, which will require surgery. That’s probably his season over.

1.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 00:30:33
I wish Bogusz a speedy recovery ; he may still have a future at LUFC next season under a different manager.

2.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 10:50:47
Sadly, I think it will be a different Manager next season Baz, but be careful what you wish for.

In a very early interview with Sly Sports Bub said he had taken another season (this one) as Bub honestly believed he could improve on last season’s miraculous performance, possibly get the team into Europa spot.

Now all the things Bub is decried for, small squad insistence to persevere with certain players (admittedly I struggle with the Roberts one) but these perceived weaknesses along with others (murderball) were strengths and the very reasons for our excellent performances last year.

Then there is the legacy Bielsa has created, whether that be an ethos of playing across all sides the facilities the training methods the trust placed in youth when good enough, more teenagers blooddd in history of PL.

Would you want Sean Dyche as a replacement honestly, I would struggle to pay to watch Burnley every week even if they do always just do enough to avoid relegation. (maybe not this time though? )

Then who wants to come to us?

Sure unproven managers from lower Spanish, Italian leagues would probably jump at the opportunity but looking at Watford as a similar model you definitely get more misses than hits this way.

My three best managers this season,
A good unknown was Potter at Brighton
A good old in Moyes at Ham
A good ex player Viera at Palace

But there are certainly less guarantees, greater difficulties with finding the right new manager as with any new ACM or CF

I’m generally worried how we will fare without Bielsa, no other manager in the whole of the current PL could have done better with our team when managing our catastrophic number of injuries.

And I honestly would not swap Bielsa for Pep or Klop based on our current circumstances this season.

Yes, I realise many will be delighted to see Bielsa go after this season (I think this was always going to be his last given the number of years away from home and family.

But again, careful what you wish for, no guarantees in life or football and in his time with us he’s ended sixteen years of hurt whilst playing some of the most attractive football anyone could wish to see whilst playing exciting football and installing integrity and humility into our club which is why we’re often labelled everyone’s second favourite team.

The May be stronger candidates out there, I sincerely hope there is, whether they’d want to come is another matter, so we will almost certainly be rolling the dice next appointment and hoping the next manager is as successful as our current one.

Fingers crossed!

3.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 11:15:36
Great post Class as ever, Charlton and Curbishley springs to mind.

4.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 11:32:11
Great stuff Class.
After ten minutes of his first game in charge against Stoke I was blown away by the football played and towards the end of match said to a mate it was like watching Barcelona of a few years back, and he agreed. I watch football to be entertained and these last few years have been a joy of the highest order to see.

5.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 11:45:41
I seriously don’t understand why some people think that life without Bielsa as coach would suddenly change everything and why nobody is willing to admit that we have had an extraordinary amount of injuries this season that could be for some unknown reason the problem we have not done that well!
Class, the coaches you have mentioned already are all at clubs that are stabilized in the Premiership, they’ve got the infrastructure to deal with the demands of the Premiership, one or two even have extremely rich owners like Villa and Wolves.
We have merely dipped our feet here and nobody believes that it is an evolution to be installed and evolve in the Premiership, no, everyone what’s instant success, at whatever cost it would seem, I’m sure if Peter Ridsdale turned up in disguise as our new owner certain fans on this forum would be licking their lips or his feet or something else for that matter.
Careful what you wish for, damn straight.
I sincerely hope Bielsa is here for next season’s campaign with few more new faces and a lot less injuries, to prove what else he can do, like he has already!

6.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 12:35:08
Great posts Gentlemen, brilliant!
Here’s my 2p; with any other manager in place of Bielsa, we would pretty much already be relegated IMHO. Without massive strengthening in the summer, plus a new manager in place of Bielsa, WE WILL be relegated next season. IMHO only Bub can get a performance out of our squad when at full strength, or even as we did against Wet Sham. Like Class states, be careful what you wish for.
PS - the legacy he leaves will be of the same importance as that left by Wilko.

7.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 13:25:26
Good detailed post Class, yes I still trust in bielsa also and agree with the Roberts caveat,

However I don't agree with the way you skimmed over a whole tranche of would be Leeds managers to say, be careful what you wish for as Bubs is the best we can hope for


Be honest now Class, you or I or no one else here knew anything about a man named Marcelo Bielsa before he arrived here .

So the opinion you would have had then about him, can now hardly be flipped to exclude any other possible mangers who the club get to replace him come summertime

It seems Martinez is the main candidate so let's not dismiss him because

You think no one else could do a better job .

Bubs like us all has serious flaws that's inarguable . He has to have conceded that too himself this season above all else, but as we all know the older generation don't change their ways later on in life .

So yes it will be a step into the unknown come summer time if he leaves but the board will hardly appoint a dyche-Sam - Curbs type figure

That's just silly to suggest.

8.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 13:49:17
MB overrated and overhyped by some on here
Seriously wouldn't surprise me if LUFC finish in bottom 3 this season under him; he along with AR and VO will be responsible for this, no one else, the injuries have not helped but the club should have had a squad to deal with it
Shall definitely never miss his square pegs in round holes
The legacy that he leaves is debatable
The suggestion that Bielsa gives proper extended chances to lots of young players is a myth
He got lucky in having Pablo at the club when he arrived; without him still think we would be in Championship with Bielsa
I could go on but it's all been said before.

9.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:17:01
But we were in the championship before Bielsa arrived, and Hernandez was playing for us under Monk and the other so bang average managers in the championship, so why didn't he get us promoted before Bielsa came,

10.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:22:58
Baz Top post. Bub seems to be running the football club like a business such as a law firm rewarding seniority over form and suitability. Playing Dallas over Hjelde at LB and not deploying said Stuarty in midfield last week utterly criminal. I'm sick of Bielsa, the venomous spin doctor Agnes and the short armed deep pocketed one Radz. Only person I almost like is Victoria and I don't really like him neither. #sacktheboard.

11.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:45:29
Richie: Bielsa is better than bang average Monk yes

And?

12.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 14:52:12
Indeed George
MB team selection and substitutions made lost us that vital match against Newcastle; and its happened far too many times by MB this season
Bielsa has failed LUFC this season, and has been honest enough to admit it himself, though fat lot of good will his admission be if/ when he takes LUFC down at end of season.

13.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 15:21:27
And?
U claim we only got promoted because of Hernandez,
Disrespectful to the likes of Ayling, Dallas, klich, Bamford, Phillips,
I could go on, my point on Hernandez is, u seem to think everything revolved round him, so why weren't we promoted earlier as he was there before, if the nanager didn't get us promoted (and the rest of the team) and it was pablo then why didn't he get us promoted under monk?

14.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 16:16:58
Richie all those other players were of course important its a team game not a one man team

and Bielsa was also a considerable upgrade on than Monk who to be fair still finished a not terrible 7th with LUFC so they were nearly a play off team in 2017

but for me of all of the players Pablo was without doubt the KEY player to actually get LUFC promotion 9 goals 12 assists 21 goals ( a CAM that to give him credit Monk brought in ( not Orta) . and a CAM with goals and assists that VO and MB have failed till now to replace) and without Pablo, Bielsa would not have got LUFC promoted in 2019-2020.

15.) 25 Jan 2022
25 Jan 2022 19:27:52
Can one of you two called baz change your name? Because the two of you talk so much drivel i ain’t got a clue who’s who! 🤣.