I took Marcelo Bielsa sightseeing while at Leeds United - working with him every day was the ultimate privilege

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Andres Clavijo was Marcelo Bielsa’s translator and so much more at Leeds United.

Former Leeds United analyst and translator Andres Clavijo insists his time working under Marcelo Bielsa was a ‘privilege’ - despite being on call around the clock for all sorts of unexpected jobs.

Clavijo joined Leeds as an analyst following their promotion to the Premier League under Bielsa in 2020, having initially impressed with his knowledge of French football during a meeting before the Argentinian took charge of Marseille a decade ago. An internship-style role preceded a full-time position on the enigmatic manager’s staff but a secondment as translator soon expanded further.

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The Colombian-born Leeds employee was often on TV screens across the world alongside Bielsa during his Premier League tenure, becoming a cult hero beside the cult hero as his exchanges with the Whites boss were played out to millions. But as many others will attest to, the work did not stop there and Clavijo was Bielsa’s go-to man for just about everything.

"He wanted me around all the time,” Clavijo told Sky Sports. "I was picking him up from his house most days and dropping him off. If he had anywhere to go, I would be the one to take him to his medical appointments or going sightseeing. During my time at Leeds, I don't think I had many days off.

"I was translating in group meetings, individual meetings, pre-match, half-time, press conferences. In almost every situation. It was a lot of hard work and very stressful at the time.

"When you come out the other end, you realise how much you have grown and what a privilege it all was. It set me up really well for the future. Even when I was working there, everyone would say, wherever you go next will feel like a breeze. It was exactly like that."

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Bielsa’s web of influence has produced some of the most forward-thinking coaches in the world, from Pep Guardiola to Mauricio Pochettino, and Clavijo is hoping to follow suit. Now 34, he moved into coaching after Bielsa’s Leeds exit and is now in Australia.

He initially joined up with Nick Montgomery’s coaching staff at Central Coast Mariners before the manager left, to be replaced by former Leeds academy coach Mark Jackson and Danny Schofield, both of whom had worked under Bielsa in West Yorkshire. Together, they went on to win an unprecedented treble Down Under. Clavijo made the move to Perth Glory this summer and is hoping to continue progressing through the coaching ranks, with his former mentor in West Yorkshire a constant point of reference.

"He is the most meticulous coach,” the former Whites staff member added. “There is literally nothing he leaves to chance. Nobody studies the opposition more than he does. We had to analyse every single game. If it was round 35, that was all 34 games.

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"I thought I knew about football before I went to Leeds. When I got there, I realised I did not really know anything. His sessions were like nothing I had ever seen before. It was a sight to behold. Nobody coaches like him. I think only Marcelo can do it. It is unique.

"[Working for Bielsa] is something that is never going to leave me. It is ingrained in me now. I understand the demands. You will not find many people who put in more hours than I do. It has almost become who I am. And it has made me a better person in and out of football."

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