New Premier League manager states love for Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds United side

Southampton have sacked Russell Martin months after his Wembley triumph over Leeds United, and have now appointed self-proclaimed Marcelo Bielsa admirer Ivan Juric.

While Leeds sit in the Championship for a second successive season, those who pipped the Whites to the top flight aren’t enjoying their time so far.

All three look worryingly like they might face relegation this season, no more so than Southampton with an eight-point gap to safety after 17 games, on a meagre six points.

Southampton replace Russell Martin with Ivan Juric

It took five months for Russell Martin’s accomplishments of getting Southampton promoted to be wiped away by their woeful start to the season.

He was sacked following a 5-0 defeat at home to Tottenham, and has been promptly replaced with Ivan Juric taking his place.

Prior to taking the job at St Mary’s, Juric’s entire coaching career has been spent in Italy with the likes of Genoa, Torino and Roma among others.

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Ivan Juric: I take inspiration from Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds

In terms of what to expect from the Croatian manager in the Premier League, it could be something akin to Marcelo Bielsa’s Leeds.

The Argentine has of course inspired plenty of notable managers down the years, and Juric has revealed that he is one of his many disciples, speaking about his appointment on the South Coast (via the Guardian):

“I was a great fan of Bielsa when he was at Leeds. I like the way he thinks about football.”

Here shows the ruthlessness of the Premier League, a warning to Leeds

Juric could turn out to be a brilliant appointment that could allow Southampton even a marginal chance of staying up, but it just goes to show the ruthlessness of promotion and then the Premier League.

In Martin, Southampton had a coach very rigid in his ways, but finding success in them through promotion, and five months later he’s been binned off due to poor results.

That should serve as a real warning to Leeds and Farke that the tide can turn so quickly when you’re in the Premier League, should we get promoted this season.

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