Football loves a narrative. Harry Kane can’t score in August. Jürgen Klopp can’t win finals. José Mourinho can’t survive his third season at a club. Romelu Lukaku can’t score against top sides… and Marcelo Bielsa teams can’t make it to the end of a season without suffering burnout. All narratives come from somewhere, of course, and it’s not hard to see how the Bielsa burnout plotline might h...

When Marcelo Bielsa was confirmed as Leeds United’s new manager ahead of the 2018/19 Championship season, there was both excitement and consternation. The Argentine, an immensely influential tactician who counts Pep Guardiola, Diego Simeone and Mauricio Pochettino as former students, is a big deal in coaching, but his deep understanding of football hasn’t always translated to success....

Most top-level managers are judged on their record of delivering trophies for the teams they oversee, with reputations forged in silver and legacies defined by medal collections; style points count for something, but only if backed up by results. In that sense, then, Marcelo Bielsa’s reputation as one of the game’s great tactical minds is somewhat at odds with modern convention. The Ar...