A fanatic of football videos that he adds to his collection, Bielsa on occasion checks pitch measurements by pacing them out before deciding on a particular formation. He allocates separate training times for different parts of his squad. Former Argentine national team captain Roberto Ayala and defender under Bielsa stated "Sometimes we wouldn't see any of the strikers, because he'd have them training at a different time, and it was the same with the midfielders. He's an innovator, and one of the people who I've learned most from during my career."[2]
He is known for watching and collecting numerous soccer videos to the point of obsession. He edits and analyzes each video for each individual player. He also utilizes statistical software and other technological tools to prepare for games. John Carlin, an english journalist, has stated that Bielsa "has the most cultured library of soccer in the world. His resources are infinite, he is a step ahead of most coaches out there, including Ferguson and van Gaal. The man is serious and there is a high intellectual component in his method.[26]
His leadership is based on serious methodology and very formal conversation that seems awkward and odd for players, especially in the beginning. However through these methods of obsessive formality he has managed to convince his players to play attacking football in all teams he has coached. Athletic Bilbao's striker Fernando Llorente said in an interview "At first he seems tough and he may even annoy you with his persistence and don't-take-no-for-an-answer resilience, but in the end he is a genius. he convinces you to keep working and running and it can be seen in his teams' games and practices. He knows more than anyone in the world, he is elite. Once you get used to him you love him."[27] Barcelona's Pep Guardiola called him the "best manager in the world" in 2012.[28] 3–3–1–3 is his signature formation.
What a mental.
