Forty-five minutes was the length of Marcelo Bielsa’s second offering to the media as Leeds United head coach.
It followed his unveiling on a two-year contract earlier this summer at Elland Road at a press conference which lasted 80 minutes.
Today’s affair at the club’s Thorp Arch training ground on the outskirts of Wetherby was a similarly fascinating affair as the legendary Argentine offered his thoughts ahead of Sunday’s Championship opener at home to Stoke City.
Bielsa discussed the state of his squad, life in Yorkshire, the sale of Ronaldo Vieira, his footballing philosophy and this weekend’s opponents.
Bielsa, speaking through a translator, said: “I’ve been well received by the fans since I came to Leeds.
“I recently visited a fayre that had 60,000 people there and this allowed me to get to know the region.
“In Argentina, I lived in the countryside and there are many similarities with Yorkshire.
“There is a common point with the people in Leeds which stimulates me.
“Of course I feel a deep responsibility and I hope to be able to give the fans the answers they expect from me.
“The results of our work generates a lot of sensibility in people, especially working-class people.
“I’m a little bit worried about this because it’s very important to meet these responsibilities.
“The project of Leeds and the line of work that [director of football] Victor Orta proposed to me, the history and importance of the club, the support from the president to my ideas, made me think that this possibility to work here was bigger than what I deserved.
“I take it as a challenge and I try and win this challenge.”
The former Argentina boss is the highest-paid manager in the Whites’ history and has also managed the Chile national side plus Espanyol, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille, Lazio and Lille.
Leeds have gone through 15 managers – including two in caretaker charge — since losing their Premier League status in 2004.
Bielsa’s spells in charge of Lazio and Lille were both very short lived with the coach – nicknamed El Loco or ‘The Madman’ – walking out on Lazio after just two days in the manager’s hot seat.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola has described Bielsa as the “best coach in the world” while Tottenham chief Mauricio Pochettino played for Bielsa at Newell’s Old Boys, describing the 63-year-old as “like my football father”.
Bielsa revealed that Leeds will start the season with youngster Bailey Peacock-Farrell in goal ahead of Chelsea loanee Jamal Blackman.
Pontus Jansson is not fit enough to start following his recent World Cup exploits with Sweden and key midfielder Adam Forshaw will miss the next eight weeks with a foot injury.
The £7m sale of Ronaldo Vieira to Sampdoria this week also raised eyebrows and Bielsa admitted: “He was a player involved in the project.
“The club decided to sell him and I adapt to this decision. I can’t say he’s not a good player, he is.
“If a club of Sampdoria want Ronaldo it indicates he is a good player.
“And his sale happens at the same time of the injury of another player in a similar position, but we can solve this situation.”
Asked about facing title favourites Stoke this weekend in a game which could see debuts for new recruits Barry Douglas, Patrick Bamford, Lewis Baker and Jack Harrison, Bielsa said: “Stoke are a strong rival but it would be risky to say they are the most important rival.
“Sometimes what we imagine before the season starts doesn’t occur.
“It’s very hard to predict and I wouldn’t dare to make any prediction.”
On his style of play, Bielsa revealed: “My style is no better or worse than others. It’s the style I can transmit because it’s the style I believe in.
“You cannot convince players if you don’t truly believe in what you say.
“Footballers are a mix of heart, mind and legs. These three things allows them to develop any kind of style.”
Life at Elland Road is rarely dull and Bielsa’s influence could produce fireworks.
Leeds fans should buckle up and hold on tight.
