A little thread to explain Bielsa's Hernan Crespo apology, which probably needs some context:
Bielsa, as Argentina boss, coached Crespo at various stages of his playing career. He once told a young Crespo that he saw him as a very mature player, even though Bielsa didn't believe it at the time. He said so to build up Crespo's confidence and therefore improve his game.
Several years later, in another conversation with Crespo, Bielsa told him that he was now showing more maturity than he had when he was young. Crespo remembered what Bielsa had said to him previously and was confused. Bielsa regretted lying to him and today, apologised.*
This feeds into Bielsa's belief that coaches need to be honest with players and that players need to believe what they are told. To extend the point to tactics, Bielsa feels that if he spends hours coaching a certain system the players need to believe it's effective and will work
So if, say, Leeds are 2-1 down at Swansea with 11 minutes to go and Bielsa abandons his strategy, confidence in it is blown. If he doesn't show that he believes in it under pressure, the players won't either. He only believes in plan A. Plan B for him is making plan A work.
As for plan C, forget it (or see plan B). Most managers talk about being flexible but Bielsa doesn't believe in deviation. Which is why it was always going to be Bamford for Roofe on Tuesday, rather than both staying on the pitch.
*The fact that Crespo was world class and had an exceptional career seems to be incidental.
Even now, Bielsa classes his handling of Crespo as a "serious mistake". "This is the kind of thing I cannot forgive, and I am right not to forgive myself."
As it turns out, Bielsa is in Crespo's managerial top three anyway:
goal.com/en/news/carlo-…
goal.com/en/news/carlo-…
