Originally Posted by
Póg Mo Goal
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The then Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola hailed Cuper as a ‘defensive master’ during his time at Racing Santander but it is another Argentine and another apparent candidate for the Irish job, whom Gaurdiola made it his mission to learn from, the man known as ’Loco Bielsa.’
“Marcelo Bielsa could be an asset for the national team because of his football approach,” says François. ”He is an all-out attack-minded manager and Ireland’s best players are attacking midfielders. Bielsa’s stint at Athetic Club of Bilbao is a good example. The Basque players are very similar to the Irish. Indeed there are similarities between both peoples.”
“Bielsa changed the mindset of the Basque squad and the Athetic club, the most ‘British-style’ team from La Liga of Spain. The team played ground football – out from the keeper – with a high tempo and further pressure. They didn’t play the so called ‘tiki-taka’, but something more akin to a ‘Put them under pressure’ strategy like Jack Charlton, without the use and the abuse of the long ball, cavemen football of his tenure.”
“They say that Bielsa is the ‘King of the Underdogs’, a guy whose goals are football projects rather than money.”
“He reportedly received offers from Chelsea, Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Roma, México, USA, Australia and many more but he was not convinced by those. He preferred to develop a team, an average team like Athletic Bilbao, and in a sense a full national team since they cannot purchase players that are not Basques.”
“Bielsa was leading effectively a national team in a big money league and he reached two cup finals with the side playing exciting and effective football. You can ask former Manchester United’s Alex Ferguson about that.”
Bielsa shocked the Red Devils over two legs and led Bilbao to the Europa League final before losing out to a Radamel Falcao-inspired Atletico Madrid.
“Yes, regarding Bielsa he is the best choice you’ve got if you want to change Irish football, from under youth level to the senior team. Guardiola rated him as the best coach in the world. When he was learning the trade, he visited Bielsa for advice at his countryside manor in Rosario. Pep studied what he did at Bilbao.”
“Former Argentina hero Jorge Valdano recently said that Bielsa had returned Athletic Club back to greatness. And his work with the Chilean national side was mesmerizing. He turned the most inept outfit, rock bottom (suffering their worst ever home qualifying defeats) with a big inferiority complex in football, into a team of braves.”
Bielsa took Chile to the 2010 FIFA World Cup, securing second place behind Spain in Group H, before losing 3-0 to Brazil in the second round.
Bielsa is also considered something of a mentor to the Premier League’s current trend-setter, Southampton manager Mauricio Pochettino (born in a town called Muphy, Argentina) and whom he managed at Newell’s Old Boys.
“If Ireland wants to change things around, go for an Argentinian, like the Vatican did. A fresh approach from a brave man that is not there for the money. Bielsa is the best candidate to lead Ireland’s national team, he will make your players play, and more important, they will believe in themselves again.”
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I don't think we should be giving the job to someone who is equivocal about accepting it.
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