Darren Bent: Leeds United should not have sacked Marcelo Bielsa, more likely to go down now
Leeds United did not need to sack Marcelo Bielsa because the fans still “absolutely love him”, and are now more likely to go down, says Darren Bent.
The club slumped to a dreadful 3-0 defeat at home to Aston Villa last night (Thursday 10 March) in replacement Jesse Marsch’s second game in charge.
The Argentine was sacked after a miserable run of form saw the team repeatedly thrashed, but he remained extremely popular among fans, many of whom opposed the decision.
Speaking on talkSPORT, in a clip posted on their Twitter page, Bent said: “It was a big big risk, and I questioned it.
“Usually the board will listen to the fans, and if the fans kick up enough of a fuss then the board will react.
“With the Bielsa thing, the Leeds fans absolutely love him, so there was no reason to make a change.
“I know they were leaking goals, but I would have just given him to the end of the season.”
Co-host Andy Goldstein suggested the problem is with the man they replaced him with.
Bent replied: “I understand that but look at Watford… when they brought in [Roy] Hodgson I went ‘Yes! Perfect appointment’, and they look terrible as well.”
Goldstein then asked: “Do you think Leeds have got more chance of going down now?”
And Bent was clear: “I do, yeah.”
Big problems
The Aston Villa loss has increased the doubts significantly as the improvements that were seen in his first game against Leicester had all evaporated.
The fear is that the only man who had any chance of getting this squad out of trouble was the one who flew home to Argentina during the game last night.
The situation is looking pretty desperate, and barring a victory over Norwich in the next game, support for the new manager will disappear fast.
Bielsa will always hold a special place in the Whites supporters’ hearts, and that is only increasing as the team continues to struggle without him.
The new manager has said all the right things, and there were positive signs last week, but none of what was needed manifested itself at Elland Road last night.
A summer change over may have been inevitable anyway, but the early decision has so far not paid dividends.
The American still has time to rectify the situation, but on the most recent evidence that is not a strong possibility.
In other Leeds United news, The Athletic has shared how one Villa player got “the last laugh” on United fans.