Marcelo Bielsa’s sacking at Leeds United in early 2022 was one of the most unpopular decisions made by the previous regime. He developed a cult following at Elland Road and was a father figure to a group of players who played their best football under him.
Bielsa left Leeds close to four years back, but he remains one of the most popular figures at Elland Road, and the fans remain enthralled by their former manager, who got them back in the Premier League after a 15-year absence.
Some of the Leeds players of that era have never recovered their best form since the Argentinian left the club, and their careers have only gone downhill.
His sacking left a profound impact on the club, as while they survived at the end of the season, his successor Jesse Marsch carried the blame for the Whites getting relegated in the 2022/23 campaign.
Ex-Leeds United star opens up on Marcelo Bielsa’s sacking
Junior Firpo joined Leeds in the summer of 2021 and worked under Bielsa for a little over half a season. However, he understood the profound impact he had on the team.
The former Leeds defender conceded that it was probably the hardest goodbye he experienced in his career when Bielsa was sacked at Elland Road.
He revealed that players who had spent several years under Bielsa were left devastated, some even in tears. The defender admitted they would have rather faced relegation with the Argentinian at the helm than tried to survive under anyone else.
“It was one of the hardest goodbyes to a manager I’ve ever experienced”, Firpo told El Observador.
“All the players who had been with him for several years were crying in the locker room. It was like when you know something is going to collapse, but you’d rather let it collapse with him than save it with someone else. That was that feeling.
“We miraculously survived in the last game and stayed in the league, but the fans were chanting his name. It was a very difficult decision for the club.”
Firpo left Leeds in the summer as a free agent, and the Whites fans may see Bielsa again if Uruguay take on England at Wembley in March.
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