Marcelo Bielsa says Leeds United's league position 'not deserving of value' and cites 'examples' of British coaches

Argentinian head coach Bielsa will face his latest assignment against a British manager on Monday night when the South American’s 11th-placed Leeds side visit a high-flying West Ham United outfit managed by David Moyes.

The achievements of any British manager are always brought into sharp focus in a division that has regularly featured a heavy influx of managers from all over the world.

That, though, says Bielsa, is natural given the stature of the competition and the Whites boss says there is plenty to be learned from how the likes of Moyes are faring with their clubs in the top division.

Half of the Premier League’s current managers are British and Brendan Rodgers sits highest up the table at second-placed Leicester City.

West Ham are sixth under Moyes and Dean Smith’s Aston Villa are the only other side under the care of a British boss in the division’s top half.

Crystal Palace are also 13th under Roy Hodgson whilst the bottom six are all managed by British coaches in Burnley (Sean Dyche), Brighton (Graham Potter), Newcastle United (Steve Bruce), Fulham (Scott Parker), West Brom (Sam Allardyce) and Sheffield United (Chris Wilder).

Bielsa, though, says much can be learned from British managers also in charge of sides towards the bottom of the table given the tasks that they face.

Asked about the media over celebrating the success of British coaches fighting back against foreign bosses and if he had felt any jealousy from rival managers or the press towards his own success, Bielsa said: “I haven’t felt rejected in my time that I’ve been here.

“To be in mid table or below mid table, I don’t think is something that deserves to be valued.

“And with respect to British coaches, I don’t think he (Moyes) is the only one doing well.

“Just like the manager of Leicester, as well as Moyes, they are both good examples.

“As well as him, you have Rodgers at Leicester who for me is another good example.

“Given that this is the Premier League and that the league is so diversified with regards to the owners and the managers, it is natural that there are managers from all over the world.

"I particularly look a lot at the British coaches as from my point of view they consistently add something to the Premier League.

“The managers of Sheffield United and Fulham, without looking at their positions in the table, I think that they have achieved things that are worth having a look at.

“The managers of Burnley and Brighton – they have styles which are consolidated and are also worth having a look at.

“The manager of Crystal Palace is a manager who manages all of the situations in the Premier League well, all of the difficulties.

“I am probably forgetting a few others that also deserve to be recognised.”

Bielsa will face Moyes for the second time on Monday evening, three months on from December’s 2-1 reverse at Elland Road.

On British bosses, Bielsa has faced Villa manager Smith, Frank Lampard and Alex Neil the most times having encountered each of the trio five times so far.

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Thank you Laura Collins