Would Bielsa succeed if he coached Barca?

Rumors are going about saying that Bielsa might take over from Pep if/when he leaves Barcelona. Bielsa is one of those coaches who is proven to play beautiful football yet having the tactical capability right up there with the best coaches currently.

Should we get Bielsa as a coach, do you think he would be able to replicate the success that Pep's Barca achieved? What type of changes would he make to suit his style? How would he change his systems under pressure or for playing against a specific team?

I'm excited, and as much as I would not like Pep to leave ever, the possibility is high that he may leave at some point and Bielsa is (in my opinion) a great option to have to replace him.

If Barca went down the foriegn path and didnt recruit from within, then there is no better choice imo.

His ideals are very similar, high pressing, quick ball circulation, making the pitch small without possession and making it big with possession.

Tactically he likes his 343/3313 but he goes to a 4 man backline when the tactics call for it.

He is a hard worker and prepares amazingly. He is very similar to Pep in many ways.

Doesnt take crap from players either.

Argentina were by far the best team in the Copa 04 but amazingly lost in the final, got bounced early in 2002 and I think Alf can tell you more about that. Resigned quite surprisingly, I suspect something internal.

He transformed Chile and Bilbao seem very happy with him for good reason.

I dont know if he is the best overall candidate and I dont want Pep to go anywhere, but if Pep does leave and we insist on a foriegn coach, there is no better for us imo.

I got one question i know he is X madrid coach but why no1 appricitaes Pellegrini ?

This question has arose to many times now.

I'm guessing people don't see the reason why Bielsa actually is in Bilbao as he wanted the job over any job since he is an avid fan of Basque football and philosophy. In his eyes he found it to be sacred and stated this so many times in the Basque press that we were sick of it.

Bielsa is happy in Bilbao and so are the players, and the fans that support them. He choose this team because he wanted it more than any other.

Barcelona will have to look elsewhere for now.


Would he succeed? Yes and No. If you want further elaboration, then ask.

I want to read the elaboration?

Pellegrini is a good coach, but he insists on his 4222 which doesnt really suit the core players we have.

The Franchise wrote:Pellegrini is a good coach, but he insists on his 4222 which doesnt really suit the core players we have.

--------Valdes
Alves-Masch-Pique-Abidal
---Xavi---Busquets
---Iniesta--Cesc
---Messi---Sanchez
?

not so far

edit: btw, Bielsa is not known for playing a 433 right?

No width on the left because Abidal isnt offensive minded, Cesc cant go wide, Sanchez would have to try and occupy a centerback which isnt his best strength,

The Franchise wrote:No width on the left because Abidal isnt offensive minded, Cesc cant go wide, Sanchez would have to try and occupy a centerback which isnt his best strength,

It's pretty much what you are doing already, only difference behind that you play a losange in the midfield.

Sanchez pushes wide; Cesc pushes in the middle, Iniesta roam in the midfield; Xavi is ahead of Busquets; Alves does his thing to add width; Messi does whatever he wants.

[quote="St_Nick09_of_Goal"]

The Franchise wrote:

edit: btw, Bielsa is not known for playing a 433 right?

Its his 2nd default formation.

When the opponant plays with 2 strikers he plays 3 centerbacks, when they play 1 striker he used 2 centerbacks.

St_Nick09_of_Goal wrote:

The Franchise wrote:No width on the left because Abidal isnt offensive minded, Cesc cant go wide, Sanchez would have to try and occupy a centerback which isnt his best strength,

It's pretty much what you are doing already, only difference behind that you play a losange in the midfield.

Sanchez pushes wide; Cesc pushes in the middle, Iniesta roam in the midfield; Xavi is ahead of Busquets; Alves does his thing to add width; Messi does whatever he wants.

No. Sanchez has the freedom to go wide against fullbacks, nobody has to occupy a centerback.

Cesc doesnt have to venture wide.

Cant do those things in a 4222

The Franchise wrote:Argentina were by far the best team in the Copa 04 but amazingly lost in the final, got bounced early in 2002 and I think Alf can tell you more about that. Resigned quite surprisingly, I suspect something internal.

I don't think it was internal. If Bielsa had been fed up with something about the environment of the AFA, the players or just the nature of having a very high profile job he had the perfect chance to quit in 2002 after the WC disaster. Regardless, he was resigned (which he called the highest achievement of his career so far, to be valued for his ideas and hard work in spite of defeat when everything seems worse) so he had plenty to look forward to. After winning Argentina's first Olympic gold, which we would win again with Batista (that's two more than Brazil ) he quit merely saying he was tired, and that if he was tired he would do a poor job because he would no longer be able to put 110% into it. I think that's closest to the truth, he had no reason to lie.

@Nick: Bielsa is playing with a 4 man defense now in Bilbao, in spite of that not being his preference, so he has a certain amount of flexibility.

Well that solves that, sounds reasonable.

Best choice to replace Pep by far...........

He has everything to succeed as a Barca coach and i hope if Pep does leave which obviously will happen at some point and Bielsa is available that Barca go for it......

No doubt in my mind the best option.

Mole i know you like Enrique

Nah he's destined to go back to Santiago Bernabeu.......

The return of the prodigal son, Marca will call it and it will be so beautiful.....

I cant wait tbh.

no thank you . I already know where Enrique would fail, man management.

He would be a terrific coach for us but I want Pep to stay a few more years.

If Pep goes he will probably go to Chelsea (like what his agent said) because of the how bad they are doing with AVB.

Antonio Conte ? hhhh

Ir ate Pelegrini very highly and Bielsa to )

My first choice personally, and i will be very glad to hear the deal of his replacement the day Pep leaves, Bielsa has so many great qualities that suit our needs imo, putting in mind his understanding of matches and how he reacts with them, his history, his strong personality and leadership, watching the Chilean fans reaction on his last match was classic,

and to be honest, the way Bilbao plays looks much fiercer, i wont go into their stats but frankly they take big matches head on like they were Rambo on a bad day.

I don't like Bielsa very much and I don't think he would succeed at Barça.

First, he is argentine, and people in our country doesn't understand most argentines.

Second, his curriculum is not out of this world recently. He turned a good Chile squad into a good team, that continued to be good when he left. He then picked a Europa League team as Athletic Bilbao and kept it as an Europa League team so far, performing not better and not very differently they had performed before.

Third, he doesn't really follow Barça's philosophy of football. Yes, he likes passing, and he plays attacking, but I think his teams lack pressing and I don't see Barça philosophy when I watch them.

I'd rather have a 100% Barça philosophy coach when Pep leaves, either Luis Enrique, Oscar Garcia, Lluis Carreras. Cocu and Frank de Boer could also be an option.

1. Chile have been crap since Bielsa left.......

2. Bielsa's Chile pressed harder than Barca do lol......

3. He speaks fluent Spanish from what i understand

Whats the issue, i understand you are catalan and obviously would like to keep it that way but Bielsa is a quality coach.

Immaculate_Mole wrote:1. Chile have been crap since Bielsa left.......

2. Bielsa's Chile pressed harder than Barca do lol......

3. He speaks fluent Spanish from what i understand

Whats the issue, i understand you are catalan and obviously would like to keep it that way but Bielsa is a quality coach.

1. No they haven't. Chile topped their group at the Copa America and had some other good matches like vs. France.

2. Perhaps they did, but the match vs. Spain (the only I watched) they pressed 0. Very borgin football.

3. He speaks fluent argentine. Gotta give you that he is more comprenisble than most argentine coaches though.

My choice has nothing to do with my nationality, I like other non catalan coaches like (Luis Enrique) or even a Dutch coach (De Boer + Cocu).

I just don't understand the hype around him since he hasn't done anything of merit in Europe yet and I don't think he has Barça DNA either.

I dont agree with free on this one, but I would say De Boer would be a excellent choice. I think its him who Cruyff has in mind to replace Pep.

He has done a pretty good job for Ajax from what it seems. Against Madrid they had 10% more possession despite being clearly less talented and I think he has them playing the 433 very well.

Cant agree that Bielsa isnt a guy who presses..he is religous with it.

I cant agree about his resume either. The same arguements free put to him you could on Pep and that would be wrong.

Chile might or might not be strong without him, but look at them before he came. He really did change the culture of the team and input a distinct style.