Harry Redknapp has stated that ‘everybody talks’ about Leeds United boss, Marcelo Bielsa, being ‘one of the great coaches of the world’, as he told talkSPORT on Wednesday morning.
But the former Premier League boss thinks it’s time Bielsa stepped up and got Leeds ‘organised’ in their relegation battle.
Leeds are in a real period of struggle after conceding 11 goals from their last two matches, including seven at Manchester City.
It has been a near-nightmare season for those in Yorkshire because, on top of their indifferent performances, they have also been ravaged with injuries.
Patrick Bamford sums it all up because, after his long lay-off, he returned to action and scored in stoppage-time against Brentford.
But he was then back in the treatment room in next to no time because he injured himself during his celebrations.
All in all, this was the pretty blunt message Redknapp sent to Leeds and Bielsa in their relegation battle.
“Injuries have hit them,” said Redknapp. “It just shows you that you need your key players and when they are missing, it becomes difficult.
“They have lost Bamford, who has been out for a while now. They have got injuries and they are getting into a difficult position.
“The coach is, everybody talks about him being one of the great coaches of the world, well, he has got to get that team organised and stop shipping goals, at the moment.”
Bielsa has a unique style that he will never change, not even in their current situation where they are shipping goals for fun and hovering above the relegation zone.
Leeds have come far under his stewardship, from a mid-table Championship side to becoming a Premier League outfit once more.
This current period they are going through is worrying, but it also needs to be remembered that several key players are missing, which is making life harder for him.
From that standpoint, some would then urge him to adapt, for the time being, but this is Bielsa, it’s his way or the highway.
Rather than change plan A, he will try to work even harder to make plan A better and that’s what he will try to do ahead of their visit to Liverpool on Boxing Day.
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