And it was Beautiful: Marcelo Bielsa and the Rebirth of Leeds United

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In all of these comments Bielsa comes out very positively and Hay creates the impression that all who cross paths with Bielsa admire and are in awe of him. The recap of the Premier League season was interesting as we are told of some of the ways in which a football team runs behind the scenes. It's important because it's a cultural touchstone for millions, and we ascribe value to it because of the way it brings us together.

His parting gift was to embrace the crowds of adoring fans who turned up to say thank you as he left the club’s training ground for the final time.

This story of how the team were raised up from Championship also-rans to Premiership leading lights is one for the ages, and I would recommend this book to anyone with even a passing interest in the game. 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. Read more about the condition New: A new, unread, unused book in perfect condition with no missing or damaged pages. 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. It’s a pity that Bielsa didn’t grant Hay an interview for the book, it would have added a more personal aspect, but that isn’t the Argentine’s way, he’s too private for that.

I found the jumping around time-lines a little confusing at first and there were a few sentences that came across as a bit clunky and needed re-reading to fully understand. An unusual coincidence meant that Bielsa was sacked by Leeds when I was half way through this book celebrating the things he's achieved.PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio. UPDATED TO INCLUDE THE 2021/22 SEASON THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES TOP TEN BESTSELLERThe 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. It's about emotional connections, and how Bielsa's ideas moved Leeds United from a team going nowhere to a team that had re-engaged a whole community and started what might be a path to success. In guiding Leeds back to the promised land of the Premier League, he has transformed the club into a vastly more dynamic, entertaining and professional outfit, fully endearing himself to the Leeds faithful and capturing the imaginations of football fans around the world.

I'm super biased (I love Bielsa's soccer and I loved watching this Leeds team), and I loved this book. Phil pulls back the curtain on Bielsa’s innovative tactical methods, his unconventional yet highly productive relationship with owner Andrea Radrizzani and Director of Football Victor Orta, his intensely loyal backroom team and the extraordinary cultural impact Bielsa has had on the city of Leeds - from murals and songs to cult fanbases in the provinces of Argentina.A book written by an author with a lot of insight into Leeds United and Marcelo Bielsa's time at the club. 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. Sometimes the football results in high goals for and against which was entertaining to football fans but drew criticism from pundits. In between a review of last season, Leeds first in the Premiership for 16 years, it looks at Bielsa's coaching methods, his tactical analysis and the previous years of hurt for Leeds in general - floating around the football leagues.

As a devout Huddersfield Town fan, I probably shouldn't be reading books about the manager of our bitter rivals. It's just the icing on the cake that Leeds happen to end 16 years of abject misery during the period the book covers. Phil Hay is a fantastic football journalist as evidenced through his work for both the Yorkshire Evening Post and more recently the Athletic.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. The man whose personal and professional standards are essential to him; because he knows that it’s the passions in the game that matter, that carry us forward, that provide the commitment to your club however great or lowly that is. 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.