Leeds boss took Chile to the 2010 World Cup.
Former Blackburn Rovers loanee Carlos Villanueva is still going at the age of 34, now playing his football for Saudi Arabian side Al-Fahya.
Villanueva had a spell on loan at Ewood Park in 2008/09 and scored his only goal against an unusual opponent, Blyth Spartans, in a FA Cup clash.
At that point he was seen as an impressive prospect and was beginning to figure at international level for Chile, coached by current Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa.
But Bielsa was not convinced. He chose not to include the winger in his 2010 World Cup preliminary squad, despite using him in qualifiers and the previous Copa America.
Villanueva has been recounting the experience of being dropped, quoted by Goal.
He said: “I played the last few minutes in the match against Bolivia and thought I was breaking it. I ran a lot at speed, despite feeling drowned, and I thought I cracked it.
“After the match, Bielsa called me into his room and said, ‘You have to be athlete, you have to run more.’ For the game against Venezuela I didn’t get selected and after that he didn’t call me anymore.
“Unfortunately, my physical qualities are not ideal for what Bielsa wanted. I played as a left winger in his scheme and I have never been a fast player, but when I played for Chile I tried my best.”
Villanueva never returned to Europe after his spell at Blackburn and has spent the past decade playing for clubs in the Middle East.
None of Bielsa’s Chile successors ended up recalling Villanueva. The Leeds boss’ instincts may well have been proved right.
The episode shows by Bielsa can be headstrong and knows when a player is not ‘for him’.
He showed this ruthless streak at the start at Leeds, and also last summer, when he dispatched Pontus Jansson and ordered the club to sell him.
It also demonstrates how highly Bielsa values running and work rate. While Villanueva said he felt he gave everything, Bielsa still wanted more.
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