‘Never seen anyone’: Steve Bruce suggests ‘very, very good’ Leeds man has done a first

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Steve Bruce has spoken in awe of the ‘very, very good’ Marcelo Bielsa ahead of Newcastle United’s clash with Leeds tonight, as posted by the Mirror.

The Newcastle boss shared that he has ‘never seen anyone’ have the type of ‘impact’ like Bielsa has had at Leeds, as he described their players as previously ‘okay’ Championship performers who are now ‘really good’ Premier League ones.

Whilst Leeds go into tonight’s match on the back of some bad form, it doesn’t hide the tremendous job Bielsa has done at Elland Road.

Bruce, who understands just how tough it is to win promotion to the Premier League, was full of praise for what his counterpart has done during these past few years.

“Whenever a foreign manager comes in you take them at face value for what they can bring. Certainly, Bielsa brought something,” said Bruce. “He’s transformed, Leeds. I have never seen anyone have an impact like it on the same group of players. It’s unbelievable what he has done.

“He has turned okay Championship players into really good Premier League ones. Physically, they are the number one team in the Premier League, and to do that in their first season coming up from the Championship is quite remarkable

“They went from being average to the top of the Championship and now competing with the best. I’m a big admirer of his. When they’re eccentric and a bit different like him, it makes them a bit more intriguing. He is unique, he is different

“What you can’t deny is how very, very good he is. We’ve all got huge admiration for him. He’s been there and done it and worn the t-shirt. We always enjoy seeing that sort of personality.”

When Bielsa first arrived at Elland Road, they had just finished mid-table in the Championship under Paul Heckingbottom and were facing yet another season out of the wilderness.

Bielsa didn’t make wholesale changes, he didn’t go out and splash the cash on several players, but instead, he coached these guys into the players they are today.

From the likes of Stuart Dallas and Luke Ayling, who can seemingly do everything and play everywhere on the pitch.

To boyhood fan Kalvin Phillips, who was turned into a defensive-minded player and now an England international.

It has been success story after success story under Bielsa and it doesn’t seem to be stopping.