Marcelo Bielsa asks about Leeds United star Dan James in new reveal
Dan James has reacted to hearing that former manager Marcelo Bielsa has checked in on how he’s getting on at Leeds United this season.
Speaking on BBC Radio Leeds on Wednesday (6 December), journalist Adam Pope told the Welsh international about how the Kaiser Chiefs guitarist Simon Rix caught up with the ex-Whites boss recently, where he was “really pleased” to hear the winger was having a good campaign.
The 26-year-old said the Argentinian had a “massive impact” on his career and that he was “really happy” to see that he is doing well as the manager of the Uruguayan national team.
“Funnily enough, Marcelo mentioned you actually the other day ahead of the Uruguay and Brazil game,” said Pope. “Simon Rix, who we do our podcast with, went out to see him and he was smiling, he said ‘how’s Dan James doing?’.
“And he was really pleased to hear that obviously you’d started well. So just wondering how that makes you feel that he’s still asking after you?”
“He’s obviously great,” replied James. “I know he tried to sign me a while back in January, it didn’t happen and two years after it does happen. He had a massive impact on my career of how I kind of see football, you know the individual stuff and kind of as a team.
“As soon as I signed, I really dialled in because he’s a manager who’s improved so many players that have been here in the past. Look what Uruguay are doing already and it’s not surprising to see. He’s a great manager, he gets teams working and I’m really happy he’s doing well.”
Nice to hear
It’s nice to hear that Bielsa still very much cares about what’s going on at Leeds and about how his former players are getting on.
The Argentine was desperate to sign James for a number of years during his time at the club and he finally managed to bring him to Elland Road in 2021.
It doesn’t come as much of a surprise to hear how much of an influence the former boss had on the Welshman as he is known for his man-management and improving players.
There are several Whites’ players who benefitted over the years from working under Bielsa and they would no doubt sing his praises for how he helped their careers.
While James’ first season in West Yorkshire didn’t quite go to plan before he was shipped out on loan to Fulham, he is making up for it in this campaign, having scored six goals and laid on four assists in 18 appearances.
In other Leeds United news, a senior Blackburn man is set to miss the Whites game after a development has emerged.