‘We need a revolution’: Socceroos urged to pursue Bielsa as next coach

Former Socceroo Craig Foster has urged Football Australia (FA) to spark a much-needed “revolution” by approaching sacked Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa to succeed Graham Arnold as coach for the next World Cup cycle.

Bielsa is regarded as one of the most influential coaches in the history of the game but will soon be on the lookout for a new job after being shown the door by Leeds, who he famously returned to the English Premier League after a 16-year absence at the peak of his reign.

Marcelo Bielsa once expressed his desire to coach the Socceroos. Now he’s on the lookout for a new job after being sacked by Leeds United.Credit:Getty

The 66-year-old Argentine expressed his desire to work in Australia three years ago, saying the Socceroos could be “dangerous” on the world stage and that he wanted to help realise the country’s potential, but that had never been contacted by the federation.

Arnold is certain to seek a return to club football at the end of the current World Cup campaign, regardless of whether the Socceroos qualify for Qatar or not, which means FA should soon be formulating plans to identify a new coach – if they aren’t already.

Bielsa wouldn’t come cheap and nor will he be short of suitors when he decides to coach again, but as an old soul with a deep appreciation for the sport and its impact on society, he may find appeal in a long-term project like Australian soccer. The timing could now be ideal for both parties.

Speaking on Stan Sport FC, Foster said Bielsa could be a perfect fit for the Socceroos and encouraged FA to be ambitious enough to at least ask the question of the ex-Chile, Argentina and Athletic Bilbao boss.

Marcelo Bielsa took Leeds United back to the Premier League after a 16-year absence.Credit:AP

“We don’t need a new coach, we need a revolution. He’s a revolutionary,” Foster said.

“When I saw him with Chile, in 2010 [at the World Cup], I watched the first game. I remember turning to Les [Murray] and saying, that is our football. That is Australia’s football.

“I remember after that [Johan] Cruyff also came out and said ‘that’s the new total football – what Bielsa’s doing in this World Cup is far above anyone else’. It was extraordinary and that’s why the Chilean football fans and Chile absolutely love him, and rightly so. He completely changed the landscape.

“I went some years later and saw his work at Lille and spoke to he and his and staff and it was put to him, some years ago, as to whether he would come [to Australia], and he seemed amenable to it.”

Foster described Bielsa as a “spiritual guide” of football whose work ethic, tactical nous and unique sensibility could have a profound impact on the sport here.

“Australia needs something special, we need something different, we need better thinking. Small nations like us, we can’t be the same. He has the strength to be able to do that,” he said.

“We’re not just talking about coaching the national team, we’re talking about us trying to prepare for the next 15 years on to try and do something very special.

“He also brings that sense that football is everything. When he was at Chile, he lived at the training ground – he just moved in there, and he taught the under-23s and the under-20 coaches, he taught the young kids. For him, it’s just everything, and I think we could really do with a very big dose of that right now in Australian football – someone coming in who’s lived it all around the world, who’s been a leader spiritually in a coaching and courageous sense, but also, that’s just his whole life.

“Imagine him in press conferences for Australia, talking to Australia. He’s unique, he is 100 per cent football. There would be nothing better than putting him in front of Australia.”

Lars Sivertsen, a Norwegian writer and broadcaster and Stan Sport contributor, said he could see Bielsa matching up surprisingly well with Australia.

“You might think, Marcelo Bielsa, he’s an Argentine, they play fancy football. But in terms of culture, what we saw at Leeds was he fitted in really well because the culture of Yorkshire, the culture of Leeds, is a culture of hard work,” he said.

“If you look at Bielsa’s football, the one thing you demand above all others is effort. The players have to work incredibly hard and really, everything else, you can fix.

“This might be me regurgitating certain stereotypes but when I think of Australian athletes, you’re a hardworking bunch, you guys. Whatever technical shortcomings your footballers might have on a global stage, you produce a lot of really hard-working and tough and determined athletes. It seems like culturally he would be an interesting fit for you guys.”

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