Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has been called ‘a bit autistic’ by former France footballers Frank Leboeuf and Christophe Dugarry.
Leboeuf, the ex-Chelsea defender, and former Bordeaux, Milan and Birmingham forward Dugarry were speaking to RMC Sport in their homeland on the Team Duga show.
Leboeuf said of Bielsa, as quoted by the Daily Mail: “He’s somebody I don’t like.
“I don’t like his life philosophy. I don’t like how he manages a group and for me he’s shown nothing.
“To take the lift in the morning with your captain, to not say hello and to not even look at him, there’s a bit of a problem.”
Leboeuf was believed to be referencing an incident involving Bielsa and Steve Mandanda, the goalkeeper, who was Marseille captain during the Argentine’s time in charge of the Ligue 1 club.
Adding to Leboeuf’s criticisms, Dugarry claimed Bielsa’s actions appear ‘a bit autistic’.
He added: “It’s the way he treats people, journalists, it’s a bit autistic, isn’t it?
Co-host Jean-Louis Torres made a defence of Bielsa focusing upon the influence he has had upon other great managers, such as Manchester City’s Pep Guardiola.
Leboeuf hit back at this defence, however. “No, no, no, that’s not true,” he retorted. “Guardiola just said he spoke with him a bit.”
Dugarry continued: “They were inspired by certain things, but he isn’t their mentor at all. He’s not their mentor at all. They were also inspired by Mourinho, by all the other managers.”
Rather than respected, Dugarry believes the man nicknamed ‘El Loco’ is actually mocked due to his crazy ideas and decisions.
“But there’s dozens of them who mock him,” the rant continued. “Who’s he respected by? Because he’s crazy? Because he’s sat on a cooler? That’s why he’s respected.
“The number of people who mock him, thinking, ‘How can you play like this?’ Who has he inspired?
“Guardiola was inspired by Cruyff. He might have had discussions with Bielsa that got him thinking. He brought some analysis, a debate, that’s it.
“What’s impressive with Bielsa is that he can stand in front of managers for two hours and give his philosophy, but what has he brought to the game? Cruyff inspired football. What has he created in the game?”