By Azeem Siddiqui

24th Sep, 2022 | 10:40pm

Crysencio Summerville cannot forget what Marcelo Bielsa did for him at Leeds United

Crysencio Summerville has revealed he is never going to forget former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa for awarding him his Premier League debut.

The 67-year-old was sacked by the Whites after a series of poor performances last season and was replaced by Jesse Marsch.

Summerville, while speaking in Amazon Prime’s documentary Academy Dreams: Leeds United, stated that it was a shock to hear the news about the departure of Bielsa.

“It came as a shock for everyone because of what he [Bielsa] has done for the club,” he said. “I want to thank him for the opportunities he gave me, the trust in me.

“He is the coach who gave me my debut in the Premier League so I will never forget it. I’m grateful for the opportunities he gave me.”

Promising

Leeds came back into the Premier League after decades of exile and their return to top-flight football was largely down to their academy products, and the legendary Argentine.

It was them who, under the management of Bielsa, became a team to be admired and the club is still going on the same route.

Having top-class products at Thorp Arch is no guarantee of success, but what made Leeds a little different case was that there was a focus on giving a lot of opportunities to youngsters without getting too worried about the risk.

That policy must be continued because that is the foundation on which Leeds became one of the most followed clubs in the Premier League once again.

Summerville might well prove to be one of the assets for Leeds in the future, especially with his heroics in the Premier League 2, where he already has a goal and four assists in just five matches this season [Transfermarkt].

In other Leeds United news, a Barcelona legend has tipped one Whites player for a “great future”.