Marcelo Bielsa's methods giving Leeds United youngsters a headstart says Luke Ayling, who has abandoned his favourite evening snack

Since his arrival, Bielsa has made big changes to the club’s Thorp Arch training ground, installing a running track, sleep pods, a games room and renovating the swimming pool.

No stone was left unturned as Bielsa attempted to change the culture of the training ground and make it a place players wanted to be, a facility fit to implement his regime, so players can carry out his gameplan.

Efforts had already been made to improve the players’ diet in the days before Bielsa but, under his authority and regular weigh-ins, nutrition is now a serious business.

Luke Ayling wishes his path had crossed the Argentinian’s when he was starting out in the game, because the discipline demanded from them is setting young players up for their respective breakthroughs.

At the ripe old age of 28, Ayling is a wily veteran in comparison with babyfaced colleagues Jamie Shackleton, Leif Davis, Robbie Gotts and the like.

“I would say the young players are very lucky to have him at this stage of their career,” said the defender, who began his career as a trainee at Arsenal, before cutting his teeth in the men’s game with Yeovil Town.

“I know I would have loved to have had him at that stage of my career. At 18 I ate what I wanted, drank what I wanted and would just turn up for training and play football. Some people do that and it’s fine but I know I’m [now] in the best shape of my career and this is my 10th year as a pro’. Maybe the season before [Bielsa arrived] the guys were here trying to get [better nutrition] in, but once the gaffer comes in and someone of his stature is telling you that you need to do it, then you kind of listen a bit more You know it’s got to be right.”

The combined effect of the arduous pre-season work, the intense physical conditioning programme and the scrutiny on their weight equips the club’s academy graduates for a step up into competitive football.

Leeds Under-23s play just like Bielsa’s first team and prospects often get the chance to train alongside senior professionals. Ayling believes the players coming through the ranks are ahead of their peers elsewhere, thanks to Bielsa.

“The young lads have got a great headstart in their careers,” he said.

“The ones that have broken through, that’s purely down to hard work and making sure they’re in the best condition they can, their weight is right, their numbers are right when they’re out there, they’re running around. You’ve seen boys come in and stay in. Shacks [Jamie Shackleton, 20] has been on the bench every game last year, he’s played eight games this season already maybe, [19-year-old Robbie] Gotts was on the bench last year, still hasn’t got his chance to play but I’m sure that’ll come. Leif [Davis, 19] is always training with us, he’s a machine so he’ll come through soon.”

But it isn’t just the young hopefuls who have benefited from the self-control Bielsa expects.

Midfielder Adam Forshaw has gone on record to credit the head coach’s implementation of body weight targets for helping the players to stay disciplined and in peak shape.

It is an important but not particularly fun facet of life at Leeds United. When asked what Ayling misses from his previous diet, the reply is simply “food”.

Kalvin Phillips recently gave a very similar response to that question, while Stuart Dallas lamented the disappearance of a beer or two from his Saturday-evening unwind.

“Obviously it’s hard, the eating, but the boys know it helps so we do it,” said Ayling, who has had to turn his back on his traditional evening snack.

“It is hard though. I don’t think you’ll speak to one player who wouldn’t say they’d love to eat what they want or maybe snack on some cereal at 10pm – before the gaffer came in I’d usually have my dinner around 7pm and get hungry around 10 and maybe have a bowl of cereal but that bowl of cereal is no longer. There ain’t no cereal in my house at all.”

Eat better, train harder, look better, feel better, it appears to be a recipe for success both at Thorp Arch and away from football.

“It helps us in the long run; you come in feeling good. You look better as well so I’m sure the wife is happy!”