‘We thank him’: Tim Sherwood sends emotional message after being ‘surprised’ by Leeds call

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Tim Sherwood has admitted that he was ‘surprised’ by Leeds United’s call to part ways with Marcelo Bielsa, as he told Premier League Productions.

The former Blackburn midfielder added that Bielsa was a ‘breath of fresh air’ for the Premier League and he should be thanked for his entertainment.

Leeds sacked Bielsa as their manager on Sunday, after they were beaten 4-0 by Tottenham the day before.

And, since then, the Yorkshire side have replaced the Argentine with former RB Leipzig coach, Jesse Marsch.

Nonetheless, Sherwood made it clear that he hopes that Bielsa walked away, rather than been given the boot by those upstairs, as he sent this emotional message.

“I was surprised,” said Sherwood. “I thought he had earned the right (to stay on).

“The style of how he did it, always entertaining. Great value for the Premier League. But when you are leaking goals like they have, and making naive tactical decisions, the one v one domination all over the pitch, people have found them out. It’s too easy to get results against them.

“I would have liked to have seen him walk away from it. I am not sure it’s a sacking, they are saying ‘parted company’. Hopefully, it’s mutual. But, the owners of that football club have to make a decision which is in the best interest of Leeds United and not Marcelo Bielsa.

“He has suffered with injuries throughout the season and never moaned about it. They have COVID crisis. He has never moaned and he has given opportunities to young kids. A breath of fresh air and we thank him for what he has given to the Premier League.”

Marsch is the new man in the Elland Road dugout and he won’t have too much time to move about.

Luckily, for the American, his style of play is in and around the same patch as Bielsa’s, so he wouldn’t have to tweak too much.

But, at the end of the day, he is diving straight into the deep end because more and more people are backing Leeds to go down now.

The Whites face many problems, defensive issues, injuries, forwards out-of-form and those around them picking up points, so he has to make a pretty quick start.