'Mad man' makes magic to take Leeds back to big time

LONDON • For a man nicknamed "El Loco" (mad man) and with little silverware in his long managerial career, Marcelo Bielsa is an unlikely hero to a younger generation of coaches, including Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino.

But Leeds fans will now treat him with similar reverence after he guided one of English football's sleeping giants back to the Premier League after a 16-year wait.

The club, who were champions of England in 1969, 1974 and 1992, were promoted to the top flight on Friday after West Bromwich Albion's 2-1 loss at Huddersfield.

They were able to celebrate promotion without kicking a ball, as second-placed West Brom's failure to win guaranteed they will finish in the top two with two games left.

"We are back. Leeds United are Premier League," the club said on their Twitter account moments after the final whistle.

To add icing on the cake, Leeds (87 points) were crowned champions of the second-tier Championship after third-placed Brentford lost 1-0 at Stoke City in their penultimate game of the season yesterday.

"It's still not sunk in," Leeds captain Liam Cooper said on Friday.

"We've been in the doldrums for 16 years. To lead this team to promotion is unbelievable."

Italian owner Andrea Radrizzani will also be toasting promotion, which is worth an estimated £170 million (S$297 million).

Midfielder Kalvin Phillips saluted Bielsa's contribution, saying: "When the manager first came in, I never thought I would be in this position two years down the line.

"He's the best in the world. There's no manager I would rather be under than Marcelo Bielsa."

Year Leeds United last played in the English Premier League.

Bielsa, the 14th Leeds manager since 2004, led the club within touching distance of promotion in his first season, but they lost in the play-off semi-finals to Derby.

Former skipper Dominic Matteo, part of the Leeds side that reached the Champions League semi-finals in 2001, paid tribute to the 64-year-old, who is known for working players so hard in training that they often burn out by the end of the term.

"What Bielsa has brought to this football club has been outstanding," he said. "He's got a bit of magic and you can see the passion in his body. He brings the best out of everyone."

As soon as promotion was confirmed, Leeds fans gathered outside Elland Road to celebrate, and their emotion was understandable.

Leeds are one of England's biggest clubs, regularly attracting home crowds of over 30,000 despite years of underachievement.

Their return to the top tier completes a turbulent journey that saw them languishing in third-tier obscurity and into administration, with the future of the club in doubt.

They have been away from the Premier League for so long that Twitter and Instagram did not exist the last time they played in the top-flight in 2004.

As the club enter a new era, it was fitting that Liverpool midfielder James Milner, who started his career at Leeds, tweeted: "Congratulations LUFC. Back where you belong."

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, REUTERS