‘Phenomenal’ – Jermaine Beckford lavishes praise on ‘genius’ Leeds man
Jermaine Beckford has claimed that Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa is a “phenomenal person”.
The Argentine oversaw his side’s 1-1 draw against Luton Town last night, a result that helped the Whites to maintain their place at the top of the Championship.
And with his former club on the cusp of promotion, Beckford has heaped praise on the man who has helped put them in that position.
Speaking on talkSPORT, he said: “He [Bielsa] is a phenomenal person. He doesn’t look at football the same way any normal person does.
“He’s obsessed with football, he’s obsessed with tactics, he’s obsessed with getting it right every opportunity he gets.
“He doesn’t leave anything to chance. You can see the frustration when somebody doesn’t pay attention to his points.
“He’s got these thoughts in his mind and nobody can tell him anything else – because he’s a genius.”
Beckford certainly isn’t the first person associated with the professional game to speak out in praise for Bielsa, nor will he be the last.
The veteran Argentine has been hailed by the likes of Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino, and Diego Maradona, and is surely one of the most respected names in the professional game.
His improvement of Leeds United has been immense, and we now stand on the brink of a long-awaited return to the Premier League after 16 years in the wilderness.
The key now is that his side don’t fall at the last hurdle like they did last season.
Tuesday’s 1-1 draw against Luton Town will have no doubt caused nerves to jangle all around Elland Road, but the fact that Leeds had 75% possession and 23 shots on goal to their visitor’s three would seemingly suggest that Bielsa’s tactics are working, and it’s just the end product that is missing.
In other Leeds United news, ‘There’s no doubt…’ – Danny Murphy makes big claim about Leeds and rival fans in PL.