Comment: The risks involved with appointing Marcelo Bielsa

Leeds were self-proclaimed giants of the game, middling in the Championship with little to shout about. Those that only had eyes for the English game ridiculed his credentials, whilst those abreast of football outside of these isles rubbished the reports as wishful thinking.

A legendary footballing figure, dubbed “El Loco” partly for his out-of-the-box thinking, a name revered by top coaches such as Pep Guardiola, Diego Simeone, and Mauricio Pochettino.

Surely he would not settle for a second-tier job after stints with big European clubs such as Lazio, Athletic Bilbao, and Marseille?

Heading into year 15 of post-Premier League life, Leeds finished the preceding campaign in 13th under the leadership of Paul Heckingbottom, some distance away from their pre-season aims of the play-offs.

The transformation that followed Bielsa’s appointment was near unimaginable when the news was announced.

That same sense of disbelief followed the Athletic’s report that Cherries had shortlisted the Argentinian for the head coach role at the Vitality Stadium, and although he now boasts credentials of managing in English football, there were Cherries fans quick to doubt his ability on social media.

Of course, there were his final months in Yorkshire, sacked before Leeds slipped into the relegation zone, the Whites seemingly with nothing left by the end of his stint at Elland Road, the fabled “Bielsa burnout” foresighted one year into his reign.

But, by and large, there was excitement and mild confusion that ‘little old Bournemouth’ could land the legendary Bielsa.

When Scott Parker became the first Premier League manager to lose his job just four games into the new season, Bielsa’s name was given notable odds by the bookies. Not a front runner, sure, but he was there.

He was subsequently given odds for other vacancies that followed, his name seemingly added to the carousel of managers that are inevitably linked when a top-flight vacancy crops up.

Early links to Kjetil Knutsen quietened, before Cherries distanced themselves from Sean Dyche and Chris Wilder.

Gary O’Neil continued as interim head coach into September, then October, and now November. Concrete links to the head coach role seemingly paused as Bill Foley’s £120million takeover took over the headlines.

And then before the final game before the World Cup break, like a bolt out of the blue, Bielsa became the only contender for the job - aside from incumbent O'Neil.

There are some that view the potential appointment of Bielsa as a calculated move by an incoming owner keen to make a statement of intent.

But the 67-year-old is nobody’s pawn, with the capture of his signature likely to involve multiple promises and conditions that must be met.

The former Lille boss arrives with a well-earnt reputation – not only for tactical genius, but being stubborn, a man of honour.

Few could really be surprised when he walked out of Lazio just two days after his appointment, citing the club’s failure to recruit players by his imposed deadline, as he had departed Marseille the year prior following changes to his contract. In both cases, Bielsa felt promises had been broken.

That is the inherent risk of Bielsa, a man who will give his all, only if he is guaranteed the same level of commitment from the club – and board – he serves.

Leeds became his longest stay, a three-and-a-half-year stint constantly mired by an annual “will he, won’t he” when it came to extending his contract.

The complexities of contract negotiations with the Argentine are well known, with Bielsa’s wage bill encompassing the wages of his staff as well.

There will be demands of Cherries’ training ground, of which is still currently under construction, and promises to be set in stone ahead of the transfer market.

So obsessed with details, it would be no surprise to see the temporary training set-up next to the Vitality also given improvements in a bid to bridge the gap between the opening of the new facility.

It is also not out of the realm of possibility for the training ground to be a sticking point – if deadlines are not met, standards not reached, Bielsa could walk away.

A lot has been made of the break for the World Cup, the phrase ‘mini pre-season’ cropping up.

Bielsa will need a period to instil his ideas and methods into the team, an opportunity to analyse his squad up close and personal, although he would have done copious amounts of video research, as he always does for a potential role.

Aside from Kieffer Moore and Chris Mepham, who are gearing up for the start of their World Cup campaign, the rest of the Cherries squad are away, recharging.

Presuming any managerial decision is made ahead of the bulk of the squad returning ahead of their training trip to the UAE, there would be four weeks to work with the squad.

However, unlike the traditional pre-season, there is not an active transfer window, with Cherries having to negotiate three games prior to the market re-opening in January.

Bielsa likes to trim the fat quickly when it comes to his squad, streamlining those he sees of use to him.

Former Cherry Eunan O’Kane found out the hard way, never getting the chance to train in front of Bielsa at Leeds after the head coach had decided from his video analysis that the Irishman did not fit his style of play.

Cherries are no slouches with their press, but the demands of Bielsa’s system exceed the average Premier League side.

That is what set his Leeds team apart, but whilst there are seemingly multiple options to utilise, fringe players may find themselves completely out of the picture. A further worry is that after the restart, the crammed fixture schedule will offer little respite to a side getting to grips with a new system and new style.

Can Cherries negotiate this transition whilst picking up enough points in a crowded January? Will a harsh winter prevent Bielsa’s vision from generating enough steam to get going?

O’Neil deserves credit for fostering a real camaraderie, a sense of unity amongst those that had seemingly been set for the exit door prior to Parker’s departure.

As expected for a young coach who had been in a close but less senior coaching role prior to stepping in as interim, there is clear connection between O’Neil and the players.

That would not exist with Bielsa at the helm, as he is convinced that by becoming close to players, his vision of their ability is clouded. Coach and squad will be kept at arm’s length, convening when necessary.

There will be no soft touch, no arm around the shoulder that O’Neil, and his predecessor Parker, have approached Cherries with. That will represent somewhat of a culture shock, another hurdle to be vaulted.

On top of all that, there is the possibility that Cherries get through the break under Bielsa, negotiate those three games before the window, and then fail to secure the targets Bielsa would have listed, leading to his swift departure.

There is a small, but not insignificant chance that the ‘mini pre-season’ worth saving for a manager of proper ilk being wasted, a month of preparation washed away.

That is perhaps an exaggerated concern, but one that cannot be forgotten if Cherries forge ahead with Bielsa.

Noises suggest that Foley will not baulk at transfer fees, with members of Cherries’ board flying out to Las Vegas to meet up with their equivalents from Foley’s other team, the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights, to discuss plans for the transfer window.

The delegation reconvened in Bournemouth prior to the Everton victory, with collaboration a proposed cornerstone of Foley’s incoming ownership.

There will be a sea of changes when Foley's takeover finally crosses the line and is approved by the Premier League. In a volatile time in the club's history, is it wise to fully commit to a manager who may be gone in a flash if conditions are not met?

Bielsa is not a short-term solution, not a guarantee of securing that precious second season of Premier League football.

Nor can he be guaranteed to remain in situ for a long period. He is a finite project with no definitive end date.

At its best, Bielsa’s machine is unmatchable, a free-flowing behemoth fuelled by ideals and a quest for perfection.

All machines are a fine balance of components, and the moving parts that make up Bielsa’s vision of football can easily fall apart before it can get off the ground.

Ambition is one thing, but is it a case of running before the Foley era gets off to a walking pace?

There are risks with all appointments, but Bielsa arguably carries more than most.

However, as Leeds found out, the reward can be worth all of that risk, and then some.