In Uruguay, pressure is mounting on national coach Marcelo Bielsa. Faced with criticism, he has now made a memorable statement.
He is considered a role model by many of the world’s best coaches, including Pep Guardiola, who reveres him. Marcelo Bielsa has earned himself a certain reputation. The Argentine has been christened with the nickname “El Loco” (the madman) – the exact origin of which is disputed. One thing is certain: things can get uncomfortable when Bielsa gets down to work. The Uruguay national coach always sets the highest standards for himself and his players. Giving up is not an option for him. The public saw this for themselves after La Celeste’s 1-5 defeat in a friendly match in the United States. Faced with increasing pressure to resign from his position, Bielsa went public—and held a memorable press conference. It lasted over an hour and 45 minutes.
Bielsa’s fear of losing
“I am toxic. When I arrive, the atmosphere becomes tense. That’s why I rarely show up,” Bielsa began his discussion with media representatives. Despite qualifying comfortably for the upcoming World Cup – Uruguay finished fourth in South America – there is still friction surrounding the national team. In particular, the players’ trust in him and his impersonal leadership style have recently been called into question.
In addition, there is a lack of sporting success, with only three of the last ten games having been won. The current situation is not as desired, as Bielsa was brought in after the team’s elimination in the group stage of the 2022 World Cup to lead La Celeste back to its former glory. His response to the ongoing criticism on Thursday evening (local time) was probably different than many expected. “I am toxic. If you hang out with me, you will feel worse,” admitted the 70-year-old.
He only sees mistakes that need to be corrected. In addition, he is demanding, would never be satisfied with anything, and his only topic of conversation is his work, the Argentine listed his weaknesses. He did not shy away from his aversion to human interaction either. “When he goes out to eat, he reads the newspaper because he doesn’t want to interact with his fellow human beings so he doesn’t have to talk about things that distract him from all that,” Bielsa said about himself in the third person.
One of the main reasons for his behavior: the fear of losing, as the 70-year-old says. “Don’t think I enjoy it. For me, it’s karma. I’m shy and compulsive. I come across as robotic. I don’t like disorder. I find it difficult to behave freely and friendly.“ In contrast, the coach, who often appears so grumpy, should also present a human, emotional side in the capital Montevideo, which has mostly remained hidden until now. ”I am firmly convinced that emotions unfold best,” he reports.
The national team as a place for the original form of soccer
Bielsa talked about a soccer song that moved him deeply. From the perspective of a fan of an amateur club, it tells of pure love for soccer. “You’d have to be made of stone not to be moved by this song,” he concluded. He also uses it to motivate his players before an important game. “I said to the players: ‘Listen carefully. Because when we were children, we loved soccer,’” Bielsa revealed, launching into an ode to the past: “When we were children, a bottle cap and a wall were a ball and a goal. The entrance to a house’s garage, a tomato or a zucchini were a ball and a goal. That is the past of all of us who love soccer. And when you look back on that past, it’s much better.” An important message in Bielsa’s eyes: he is convinced that more and more players are realizing this and want to return to this original form so that they can improve themselves. “They don’t care whether they earn money or not,” Bielsa is certain, and wants to offer the best environment for this in the national team. “They come because that’s exactly what they’re looking for. So how could I not appreciate these emotions, this togetherness?” he said, drawing a parallel with the criticism of his leadership style. Whether the 70-year-old has done himself a favor in the long term by providing such deep insight into his thoughts remains to be seen. For now, Bielsa, who has won 16 of 31 international matches (eight draws, seven losses) since taking office, has been given the association’s vote of confidence until next year’s World Cup.
