After just a month out of the game, it has been reported that former Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa could be returning as manager of Bolivia. The 66-year-old was sacked at Elland Road following a run of five defeats in six matches, which had seen his side drop very close to the relegation zone.
Jesse Marsch was appointed as Bielsa's replacement, with the American proving to have an instant impact on the dressing room as he won two of his opening four games in charge. However, Leeds fans were split about the decision to get rid of Bielsa and most were sad to see him go.
Now, Bielsa could be set for an immediate return to management with Bolivia, according to the Mirror. He is on the shortlist to become the new boss of the South American nation.
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"We are in contact," Fernando Costa, president of the Bolivian FA, said in a press conference on Friday. "I’m not going to deny that we are having some line of contact with the manager. We still haven’t talked to him, but we are close to doing so.
"We want to give him all the support. We know that Bolivia has a lot of talent and that going to a World Cup isn’t that far away."
This wouldn't be the first time that Bielsa has gone down the international, having previously managed Argentina and Chile. In a career spanning 32 years, he has also coached some top European and South American teams, including Marseille, Athletic Bilbao and Newell's Old Boys.
However, Bielsa's spell in charge of Argentina was arguably the most successful stint. After taking over in 1998, he won 56 of his 85 matches in the dugout, accumulating a 65% win percentage. This was the highest rate of his career and he managed to guide his country to the first Argentinian Olympic gold medal in 52 years and to the final of the Copa America.
He resigned at the end of 2004 and was replaced by Jose Pekerman. But it took three years for Bielsa to return to management with Chile. Under his guidance, the Chilean football team underwent many positive and negative historic firsts, having claimed their first away point ever at Uruguay, while also suffered their worst home defeat when they lost 3-0 against Paraguay.
In 2008, however, Bielsa masterminded a 1–0 win over his native Argentina - their first win over the nation. After guiding Chile to the 2010 World Cup after two tournament absences, Bielsa attained great popularity there and is known as one of their greatest coaches. He recorded a 54% win percentage with Chile, winning 28 of his 51 games at the helm.
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