Abel Ferreira will stay at Palmeiras despite suggestion that he could replace Marcelo Bielsa at Premier League strugglers Leeds United, president Mauricio Galiotte tells Radio Band and Globo Esporte.
Watching Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City dismantle the Marcelo Bielsa machine on Tuesday night felt like Daniel LaRusso high-kicking Mr Miyagi into submission, like Anakin Skywaker slicing through poor Obi Wan Kinobi.
As City smashed seven past a beleaguered Leeds at the Etihad Stadium, the apprentice turned on his master, delivering the Yorkshire giants their biggest defeat since 1934 in what Bielsa described as their worst performance of his entire tenure.
After three years climbing the ladder, Leeds are slipping down a snake.
They may not have returned to the familiar surroundings of ‘square one’ but relegation back to the Championship would undo so much of the good work Bielsa has done since succeeding Paul Heckingbottom at Elland Road in 2018.
The enigmatic Argentine built Leeds from the ground up. Now, cracks are appearing in the plaster and the pillars are starting to crumble. Renovation is required.
Will Marcelo Bielsa leave Leeds United in 2022?
Bielsa’s latest one-year contract expires next summer.
It remains to be seen whether Leeds, or their 66-year-old manager, has the appetite to engage once again in that annual courtship dance.
Andrea Radrizzani and Victor Orta are not leaving anything to chance.
According to reports, Leeds have identified former Granada boss Diego Martinez, Sporting Lisbon’s Ruben Amorim and the suave, uber-succesful Abel Ferreira as potential successors.
“I really believe that Abel Ferreira will continue at Palmeiras,” Galiotte said when quizzed about the 42-year-old’s future.
Ferreira, a former Sporting B and PAOK coach, has guided Palmeiras to successive Copa Libertadores titles.
A remarkable achievement, given that they had not won the tournament since 1999.
“We hired Abel with no titles. And Abel is now a super champion. He can be considered the biggest revelation among coaches in Brazil in the last two years,” Galiotte adds.
“It is difficult to talk about a better tactician. Abel is the biggest winner, without a doubt. He has great potential, a lot of strategy, absurd commitment, man-management, and a motivation I haven’t seen in others.
“Amazing.”
Ferreira’s contract runs out at broadly the same time as Bielsa’s, and Palmeiras will know deep down that retaining his services may be easier said than done.
The Portuguese recently turned down a £17 million move to Saudi Arabia.
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