The one thing I will say is there wasn't much in here that I wasn't already aware of, but that is a minor point and I'd rather it that way around than things included which are not verified, which I know Phil Hay would never do anyway. He knows the history of the club, through the ups and downs, so can document it here along with referencing interviews he personally has conducted. Wonderfully woven together, touches all the interesting parts of how Bielsa is, how he coaches, how he affects players and teams, how he prepares, how things came together in that magic promotion season, that mad first year back, and what went wrong. I love learning about the ins and outs of football clubs and obviously Bielsa's Leeds is the most interesting of all.

When Marcelo Bielsa was appointed head coach of Leeds United in the summer of 2018, the club had just finished 13th in the Championship – their 15th consecutive season outside the top flight – and were defined as much by their excesses and disasters off the pitch as their lack of success on it. As a long-suffering Leeds fan, this account of how Marcelo Bielsa turned the club's fortunes around and brought them back to the Premier League was always going to get full marks from me! By weaving in stories of crises from the club’s purgatory in the English Football League, he presents a comprehensive and compelling portrait of an enigmatic manager whose values are the antithesis of everything that has previously gone wrong at Leeds during the dark days of Ken Bates, Massimo Cellino and GFH. In And it was Beautiful, The Athletic’s Phil Hay chronicles Leeds United’s glorious first season back in the top flight – which saw them finish ninth – after a chaotic sixteen-year absence.When Marcelo Bielsa was appointed head coach of Leeds United in the summer of 2018, the club had just finished 13th in the Championship - their 15th consecutive season outside the top flight - and were defined as much by their excesses and disasters off the pitch as their lack of success on it. Written with alternate chapters, some focusing on Leeds United's first season back in the Premier League, the others focusing on the many ups and downs experienced by the club and its long suffering fans over the preceding years, it makes for a very interesting read and a must for any football fan. FEATURING FRESH PERSONAL INSIGHT FROM MARCELO BIELSAOn 27th February 2022, after 170 matches in charge, promotion to the Premier League and some of the most exhilarating football the English game has ever seen, Leeds United parted company with their most beloved and successful manager in a generation: Marcelo Bielsa. With his unique tactical approach, strict diet and body fat controls and a gruelling training schedule - including his infamous ‘murderball’ sessions - Bielsa has shaped a gang of Championship misfits and journeymen into a team that plays breathtakingly relentless attacking football and is more than capable of going toe-to-toe with the game’s established heavyweights.

Phil Hay is a fantastic football journalist as evidenced through his work for both the Yorkshire Evening Post and more recently the Athletic. In And it was Beautiful, The Athletic‘s Phil Hay chronicles Leeds United’s glorious first season back in the top flight – which saw them finish ninth – after a chaotic sixteen-year absence. Maybe one day we'll get the Bielsa autobiography, or the one on one interview, and that would make for essential reading. The behind-the-scenes story of the Marcelo Bielsa revolution at Leeds United and their first season back in the Premier League after sixteen years of hurt.He is a Heart of Midlothian supporter and a football obsessive, which has been the case since he was a young boy. Most purchases from business sellers are protected by the Consumer Contract Regulations 2013 which give you the right to cancel the purchase within 14 days after the day you receive the item. Come down the travelators, exit Sainsbury's, turn right and follow the pedestrianised walkway to Crown Walk and turn right - and Coles will be right in front of you. Bielsa's integrity, innovation and morals are explained perfectly and I love the idea that not many people feel indifferently about Marcelo showing the influence he has had in his cpaching career. About the Author: Phil hay grew up in Penicuik in Scotland and left to study journalism at the University of Sheffield in 1998.

Phil pulls back the curtain on the hallmarks that now define the Marcelo Bielsa era, from his gruelling training schedule – including his infamous ‘murderball’ sessions – to innovative tactical methods that elevated Championship regulars into Premier League stars. Ralph Ineson, the most well-known of modern British Leeds’ fans, does an excellent job of narrating. By using the Web site, you confirm that you have read, understood, and agreed to be bound by the Terms and Conditions. Anyone who loves football at it's most exciting and entertaining will want to read how this was achieved.Perhaps only Revie comes close to Bielsa for his determination and commitment to the club, and that was in the days when managers and players were far more likely to stay with the same club. I wasn’t sure that his very deep voice would be suited, but as a fellow fan he just slipped into it. On 27th February 2022, after 170 matches in charge, promotion to the Premier League and some of the most exhilarating football the English game has ever seen, Leeds United parted company with their most beloved and successful manager in a generation: Marcelo Bielsa. If we didn't already have an idea about how badly the club had been prior to the arrival of Radrizzani as owner the tales are so farcical that you wouldn't believe them. A book written by an author with a lot of insight into Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa's time at the club.