Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi has explained how a meeting with former Leeds United head coach Marcelo Bielsa had a profound impact on his development as a football manager.
The Italian has earned plenty of praise in the last 12 months since taking the reins at Brighton and establishing a high-quality and entertaining playing style that has helped the Seaguls qualify for Europe. But in many interviews with Brighton players, they speak not just of the tactician in charge, but of the man-manager that de Zerbi is also.
And in an interview back in Italy, de Zerbi has revealed how a meeting with former Leeds boss Bielsa, while the Uruguayan was still in charge of French Ligue 1 side Lille, made him realise that being a great football manager is about more than just tactics.
