Leeds United Chat • The players
It's all very well us fans having faith in Bielsa, Bielsa will turn it round, Bielsa knows best etc.
But it matters not if the players have lost faith.
Bielsa has changed the careers of many of these players, turned them from lower league plodders into Premier league players and in some cases Internationals.
He has allowed them to achieve dreams and ambitions and have nights and days that will live long in the memory.
However he also thrashes them to death, trains them to the point of exhaustion and demands 100% 100% of the time.
They don't get rest and rotation they are expected to be at it every game every week.
Players talk players have opinions players have mates and families who will have opinions as well.
The players won't enjoy going out and conceding by the bucket load weekly, the players won't enjoy being laughed at on radio stations and TV and on social media.
The players won't enjoy being totally outmatched and easily bettered weekly by the far more gifted individual Bielsa has told them to mark.
The players won't enjoy having to watch Joel Matip or Harry Maguire stroll through the middle of the pitch unchallenged because they each have a man to mark and aren't allowed to leave him because if he then goes on to score they will get hammered.
Bielsa demands so much from them and now his methods aren't working, yes I am sure injuries are playing a part and they know that but the players will know that what they are being told to do is now actively hindering them.
There is no way moral is very high, the times of LUFC getting stronger 2nd half are long gone, they get weaker, they concede more goals and drop more points.
The players look tired and exasperated at times.
And it now has to be asked.
Do the players still have faith?
Bielsa's style requires 100% commitment and if the players have any doubts then that is probably the beginning of the end.
It would be to naive to say they would never do that to Bielsa imo, its happened to more successful managers who've achieved far more at certain clubs.
Ranieri at Leicester
Mourinho at Chelsea
So do the players still have faith?