Uruguay's potential enticed Marcelo Bielsa to accept coaching job

MONTEVIDEO – Uruguay’s new coach Marcelo Bielsa decided to take the job because it was the most talented group of players that he was likely to have the chance to work with.

“El Loco” (the madman) is widely considered as one of football’s most influential coaches, even though his trophy cabinet is relatively bare compared to other greats, such as Pep Guardiola, Carlo Ancelotti or Jose Mourinho.

Despite his lofty standing in the game, three Argentinian titles with Newell’s Old Boys (two) and Velez Sarsfield, Olympic gold with Argentina’s Under-23 side and a Championship crown with Leeds United are his only trophies.

Yet Guardiola himself has described the Argentinian as “the best coach in the world”.

Bielsa, who took over following the departure of Diego Alonso after Uruguay failed to reach the last 16 at the World Cup in Qatar, signed a contract until 2026.

“I did not have to be convinced... I like the group that have represented the country in recent years,” he said at a press conference on Wednesday.

“There are countries that combine the awareness of their power, of their potential, and enhance it through fantasy and illusion. Uruguay has the resources to nurture that illusion.”

“Managing a club is a job of constant intervention and a national team is a job of quickly bringing together high-level talent,” he added.

“One of the things that I considered a lot is that I would not have a group of players like the ones Uruguay has... in any other club that can offer me a job.”

The new generation of stars includes Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde, forward Darwin Nunez of Liverpool and Barcelona centre-back Ronald Araujo.

The former Leeds manager, who led them to the Premier League after a 16-year absence, is returning to coaching following his exit from the club in February 2022.

“I’ve been out of work for over a year and a lot of that time has been used to get a better understanding of some of the new things football has to offer,” added the 67-year-old, who previously coached Argentina and Chile at the 2002 and 2010 World Cups, respectively.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve been in charge of national teams. Football, players and resources have changed but I always try to incorporate new things, new ideas.”

Bielsa will begin his tenure with two home friendlies against Nicaragua and Cuba in June and has already planned how he will approach the matches.

“I have tentatively generated some (strategies), three players per position or four. Within that group of 33 or 40 players, I will pick the ones I know the least and use these nine days in June to familiarise myself with them.”

REUTERS, AFP