Bournemouth are considering appointing the former Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa as the long-term successor to Scott Parker.
In a report in the Athletic on Friday night, it was said that the club’s new owner, Bill Foley, held a meeting in Las Vegas with his senior officials this week. The possibility of making the Argentinian head coach was discussed and he was placed on the list of candidates to take over from head coach Gary O’Neil should Foley ultimately decide on a fresh start when he passes the Premier League’s owners’ and directors’ test and completes the takeover from Maxim Demin over the next few days.
Bielsa, who ended Leeds’ 16-year exile from the Premier League by winning promotion at the end of his second season at Elland Road in 2020, was sacked last February after 27 games of his fourth season in charge. The manager is still revered in Leeds where murals of him and the players adorn the cityscape and his stock among the fanbase after sealing promotion and finishing ninth in their first top-flight season remains astoundingly high. Much of the affection derives both from his modesty and gratitude for the thrilling way his team played at their best.
Moreover Bielsa is one of the most influential coaches in history, counting Pep Guardiola, Mauricio Pochettino and Diego Simeone as disciples.
Bournemouth sacked Parker in August following their 9-0 defeat by Liverpool at Anfield and currently sit in 17th place after their 4-3 defeat, coincidentally, by Leeds United last week. It was their fourth successive loss after O’Neil made a good fist of his first six games in charge, winning two and drawing four.
Bielsa, who took Argentina and Chile to the World Cup, has been out of work since leaving Leeds and is currently in Uruguay. Further reports suggest that Foley has already held talks with the former Newell’s, Athletic Bilbao and Marseille manager but they have yet to be confirmed by either party.