Victor Orta expects Marcelo Bielsa to leave a legacy at Leeds United, credits head coach for rise in standards

Marcelo Bielsa will continue to influence life at Leeds United beyond his tenure as head coach.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa with Victor Orta.Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa with Victor Orta.
Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa with Victor Orta.

The Argentine has raised standards at the club, not only on the pitch but ‘upstairs’ at Elland Road.

Director of football Victor Orta credits Bielsa for the improvement in the Whites squad’s results, an upturn in fortunes recently described as ‘miraculous’ by former Leeds star Lee Bowyer.

And Bielsa has had an impact on Orta himself.

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“He makes me a better person and a better professional each day,” said the Spaniard, on an episode of the Training Ground Guru podcast. “With this squad, what can I say more?”

Bringing about a mentality shift and a culture change was one of the aims behind Bielsa’s appointment in the summer of 2018.

Orta says the former Athletic Bilbao, Chile and Argentina boss has a big enough personality to introduce major and necessary changes to a club that has existed outside the English top flight for 15 years.

“We needed these kind of things at this point in the history of Leeds United, we needed a really big change, a really big revolution,” he said. “We need to build a club from a figure like this.

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"It is a famous answer but Andrea [Radrizzani, club owner] in a car asked me that if I have all the money, if I could choose a coach who would you choose?

“When I said the name [Bielsa], I said call him.”

Whether or not Bielsa takes them back to the Premier League, Orta says his contribution to the club will outlive his spell as boss.

“He can increase our standards with his experience, his knowledge, his capacity.

“He is always open to say what do you think about this, but obviously all his ideas are good.

“He increases our standards. It is a pleasure. It is not only the years he will be here but the legacy he can leave in a club.”