Bielsa: Pep's heir?

Barcelona president Sandro Rosell will replace Pep Guardiola with Athletic Bilbao coach Marcelo Bielsa should the 40-year-old decide to leave Camp Nou next year, AS reports.

Speculation that Guardiola is considering leaving the Catalan club has been rife, with a move to another league or a year-long sabbatical thought to be options for the former Barca skipper.

Meanwhile, the Daily Express claims that Sir Alex Ferguson sees Guardiola as his ideal successor at Manchester United.

Should Guardiola indeed depart the European champions in 2013, then Rosell could move for Bielsa.

Before Barcelona's clash with Athletic Bilbao in November at San Mames, Lionel Messi came out in praise for his compatriot, while Javier Mascherano and Alexis Sanchez are also believed to be fans of the 56-year-old.

Meanwhile, Sport says Guardiola will remain with his current employers for at least one more season.

As far as foreign managers go he's probably the best option to replace Pep imo, or possibly Tito.

This question has arose to many times now.

I'm guessing people don't see the reason why Bielsa actually is in Bilbao as he wanted the job over any job since he is an avid fan of Basque football and philosophy. In his eyes he found it to be sacred and stated this so many times in the Basque press that we were sick of it.

Bielsa is happy in Bilbao and so are the players, and the fans that support them.

Barcelona will have to look elsewhere for now.

Guardiola is Fergusson's heir?

Mou: i have been decieved

Arquitecto wrote:This question has arose to many times now.

I'm guessing people don't see the reason why Bielsa actually is in Bilbao as he wanted the job over any job since he is an avid fan of Basque football and philosophy. In his eyes he found it to be sacred and stated this so many times in the Basque press that we were sick of it.

Bielsa is happy in Bilbao and so are the players, and the fans that support them.

Barcelona will have to look elsewhere for now.

This is looking forward to atleast 2013 if Pep doesn't stay past then, the circumstances may be different then they are now.

Lionel Messi wrote:

Arquitecto wrote:This question has arose to many times now.

I'm guessing people don't see the reason why Bielsa actually is in Bilbao as he wanted the job over any job since he is an avid fan of Basque football and philosophy. In his eyes he found it to be sacred and stated this so many times in the Basque press that we were sick of it.

Bielsa is happy in Bilbao and so are the players, and the fans that support them.

Barcelona will have to look elsewhere for now.

This is looking forward to atleast 2013 if Pep doesn't stay past then, the circumstances may be different then they are now.

Valid point LM, and yes you are right.

The only way Bielsa leaves is if he is sacked. The basque are known to be very impatient along with the fans and press. Do I have to mention how stubborn we actually are in many ways?

But the way its going, his job is more secure than Alves' spot in RB.

I dont like this barca that signs foreign coaches and multimillions $ players.

What about Tito? or even Enrique or current barca B coach?

same with the talk of Neymar and what not. They have kids like Deulofeu, rafinha or Cuenca that deserves more chance. And we are already forgetting Pedro!!!

stay true to your image, stay in house, that's the right path

mas que un burger, visca barca!

I hope I'm not the only one who cringes at hearing that pep might possibly leave barca. It's almost like a fear that he will one day leave, but I know it'll happen some day. On the plus side though, it'd be interesting to see how a Bielsa vs. Low clasico played out.

He would be a continuation of style, but to say that Bielsa is Pep's heir is wrong, it would be the opposite. Pep's Barca is strictly Bielsaist. Bielsa would in any case be his successor, and I'm not sure if he could match the achievements, given that Pep knows the club structure so well and that is one of his main strenghths.

Pep's pressing is Bielsaist, the passing game and 433 are something e;se it seems

Eh, sure the formation is different, but that's just an adaptation to the modern game. Pep has played 343 as well, which is close to the 3313 he used in Chile. Pep's passing is less direct than with Bielsa, but it's still short one or two touch football, patient, and possession based. Perhaps the word "strictly Bielsaist" is a bit strong though.

Eh.. I rather promote from within.

Epic gif psycho!

And I agree. If we can't look at someone from Barcelona and from "within" then maybe turn elsewhere, but I'm not sure if we can get Bielsa from those Basques! We'll see in a couple years. Certainly somewhat of a parallel in style, and I wouldn't mind having him.

Sampaolo?

Nick is desperate for this not to happen

BarrileteCosmico wrote:He would be a continuation of style, but to say that Bielsa is Pep's heir is wrong, it would be the opposite. Pep's Barca is strictly Bielsaist. Bielsa would in any case be his successor, and I'm not sure if he could match the achievements, given that Pep knows the club structure so well and that is one of his main strenghths.

His heir in the sense that he is the next man in line to take this position in the club.

Bielsa was already managing when Pep was still a player.