Rumours about the possible hiring of Marcelo Bielsa as the new manager of the Japanese national team are not new. For several months there has been discussion on the arrival of the Argentine coach.
After the scandal that engulfed Mexican Javier Aguirre and led to his departure, the Football Federation urgently needs to take a new direction – and Bielsa seems to be chosen for the task.
However, is this the right time to Marcelo Bielsa to leave Olympique, when he still has a contract year? With his team just three points behind leaders Paris Saint-Germain and with several matches in hand, even to dispute any decision that the Argentine coach takes would seem to be hasty.
However, if we carefully examine the situation, we realise that the Japanese national team can be a lifesaver for the Argentine coach.
The overwhelming start of Marseille in Ligue 1 soon positioned Bielsa as a sort of Guru, both for fans and sports journalists.
The newspapers emphasised his philosophy of work, the players showed delighted with the way he led training sessions and Olympique fans adored the way that the team was playing. But as in every love story, passion only lasts a few months.
The painful elimination in the French Cup against Grenoble (an amateur team of the Fourth Divison) and some missteps in Ligue 1 soon made Marcelo Bielas the perfect target for criticism of those who, only a few months ago, praised his work.
The Argentine coach is a smart man. He knows very well that, both in football and in life, no one is the best when it wins but neither is it the worst when it loses. His philosophy of life is governed by that mantra.
Unfortunately for him, football is not ruled by these codes. Life as manager of a football club is not easy. If you do not win, your work is worthless. In the maelstrom of every day is very difficult for anyone, whether you’re Bielsa, Cruyff or Guardiola. Impose an idea; shape a project.
Perhaps those who have better working conditions are the coaches of the national teams. Time is measured on a different scale for them. The objectives, either win the World Cup or just participate in it, is a long-term goal.
For Bielsa, his stint as coach of the Chilean national team was, perhaps, the best time of his career. Sporting performance, coupled with the level of acceptance of his figure in the Chilean public (who considers Bielsa the refounding of the national football) gave him an unusual transcendence.
Even in Argentina, where his work was always regarded with a critical eye after the catastrophe of World Cup 2002, the press had no choice but to surrender at the feet of the coach.
Given this, it would not be unreasonable to think that the Argentine coach aspire to occupy a similar position again. And is there a place better than Japan to do it?
The dynamic and fast style of Japanese football is perfectly suited to the tactics of Bielsa. In addition, the Blue Samurai tradition of discipline and hard work is very similar to the way of working of the Argentine coach, who is considered by many a monk of football.
In Chile, one of the first targets of Marcelo Bielsa was to impose a regime of appropriate behaviour within a group of players who used to star scandals, both on and off the field. The logic indicates that, in Japan, the Argentine coach will not have that problem.
The Japanese football has stopped its evolution and has stalled. Their poor performance in the last World Cup is proof of that. The arrival of Marcelo Bielsa could be the key to the Asian country to resume its growth.
Japan needs someone like Marcelo Bielsa. Does Marcelo Bielsa need Japan?
Ben of Phnom Penh
Roar Guru
There is also the issue of the World Cup Qualifiers in June. With the recent turmoil around the past two coaches of the Samurai Blue (who looked really good in the Asian Cup until they had their one bad game) I can't see the JFA doing anything other than giving Halilhodzic time to settle things down and get ready for June. April 14 is the draw for the 2nd round of qualifiers, by the way.
Dr. Waseem
Guest
I think it's logical to say Japanese players and there general enthusiasm to work hard suits Bielsa. But we've all seen Marseille and we all agree that whatever's happening there is really positive. The general outcome from all the players is that they love the coach and most of them are willing to extend their contracts if Bielsa stays (Gignac, Ayew etc.) And I hope he stays. Marcelo Bielsa can arguably be considered the forefathers of the modern day football (from a tactical development anyway). Coaches are not and should not be assessed by the trophies they've won, it's their philosophy and impact on football that should be taken into account. His habit of leaving clubs within 1-2 seasons is what annoys me because his training and tactical regimes are more inclined towards the long term development of youth products both on and off field. Upon leaving, the development tends to slow down or stall altogether (take Muniain,Herrera, Susaeta at Bilbao for instance). I hope he wins Ligue 1 with Marseille and stays on to build on that in europe next season. Marseille are of course the only Champions league holders from France and Bielsa might well be the man to take them back to the summit . Btw I've got a question, isn't Bielsa rumoured to join Inter Milan ??
nickoldschool
Roar Guru
Vahid Halilhodzic has recently been named Japan's head coach so I don't see why they would be looking at Bielsa or someone else for the foreseeable future (at least till the 2018 WC if everything goes well). On top of that, both Bielsa and Halilhodzic have similar profiles: hard workers, fairly poor communicators with their players. You're right, many people loved Bielsa and his no nonsense approach at the beginning, but very quickly people noticed he was lacking empathy (and love) towards his players and his 'you're either with or against me' approach didn't work in a club like Marseille where no one enjoys being bossed around especially by a new comer. He also bagged his president in front of the journos, something you don't do as an employee. Perso I think he has done ok in a club that's a basket case and that most people think is unmanageable. The only president who imo got the results a football mad city like Marseille deserves was Bernard Tapie and we all know how he did it.
Mister Football
Roar Guru
Juan Manuel were your antecedents Sicilian migrants to Argentina?