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Exactly this - at the time he was sacked, the media narrative quickly became a simplistic "His tactics have been found out" by other managers, but the reality was more nuanced - masses of first team players out injured and growing conflict between owner Radrizzani and Bielsa. Like you say, the youth setup is now in a really good position, with very promising players coming through.
I don't believe for one minute that he wouldn't work with the first team. This whole story seems typical Everton/Kenwright covering themselves as to why they didn't appoint him. Given the state of the first team and the few days of the transfer window left I believe that he wanted to work with the first team and the U21 over the next 7 weeks to then get the best 11-18 players who could play his system on the pitch. This would inevitably mean more younger players in the first team. Undoubtedly there would be a risk in going down this season but he'd get us back up and we'd be in a better position in the medium term.
Amazing really, what other manager would do this? It's exactly what we needed. To say I'm depressed about him not coming is a massive understatement.
I don't think you know enough about Bielsa then.
Bielsa actually does it by rebuilding the playing style though.
Once he gets a bee in his bonnet, like with Silva...Moshiri...so he has the illusion of long term credibility with the players (in as far as anybody is long term here) will tell Dyche - Yep; 2.5yrs mate, sorted.
The massive injury list and Bielsa's style of play and intensity of training aren't completely unrelated.
Send that list to the medical department...
My hope would have been that Bielsa did not have adapted his methods at all if he'd come to us. In fact. I'd hope he gave way to his most radical urges. To tear everything up, dismantle this place and all its tired structures, root and branch. Rip them all up totally. There is clearly something very very very rotten in the state of Everton. It is only a thoroughly ruthless purging process that will rid it of the recent years of malaise. Sorry to be coming over all inquisition-like but perhaps Señor B and his hand grenades could have been just the tonic to properly rid us of our afflictions. My fear with Dyche is that we have just plumbed again for the old 'make do' mediocrity that has oiled our sad decline.
I know plenty about Bielsa, i've followed his career for ages and am fully aware that he is a man of principle. But this leak to the press that he was only going to work with the U21's is pure spin on behalf of Kenwright and Co to justify the decision to go with Dyche. He used to work with the U21's at Leeds as well as the first team. I think he's looked at the situation, the time left in the transfer window, the state of the current squad and come up with a plan to get the best 18-20 players in the 1st team squad and the U21's to play his system. The only way he can do that is work heavily with the U21's as well as the first team. That means he needs to take charge of the U21's and coach them as well as work with the 1st team. I think it's pure spin to say that he was only going to work with the U21's and not work with the 1st team. Bielsa wouldn't have flown here if he wasn't going to take the job, but he wanted to do it on his own terms. The fact that the Everton board have chosen mediocrity in the form of Dyche instead of the transformation of the footballing side of the club under a genuine world class coach is the most depressing, but unsurprising, decision of Kenwright's reign on the board.
Yes, he did, I know this. But he did not just go in and take charge of Leeds midway through a season.
