Marcelo Bielsa is set to reach 100 games on the Athletic Bilbao bench, but has assessed his time at the club so far as ‘negative’.
Bielsa will reach three figures in games as the Basque side’s Coach this weekend when Athletic play host to rivals Real Sociedad.
Whilst those games include runs to the finals of the Europa League and Copa del Rey, the Argentine is less than enthusiastic in reflecting on his personal achievement at San Mames.
“The assessment is negative, as in the previous season the team was 10th and we could have been fifth, and now we are in the bottom third of the table when in terms of the team we have, we should be in the top third, which means that the management at a human level has not been adequate,” declared Bielsa to reporters today.
The Coach was given the opportunity to at least take heart in the board and the supporters’ continued faith in his work.
“That’s an affirmation that you [the media] make. It’s a perception that can neither be verified nor rejected.
“The only thing that matter is the day to day sporting aspect, not these things that I find are irrelevant to the team’s reality.”
Athletic host local rivals Real Sociedad in the League this coming Friday night.
“It is vital to the team. Whatever the opponent, the need to win would be the same, though. We will play the game in order to win and make our assessments when playing about who is the most likely to win or not, and not before.
“Real are consistent for their individuality in attack, they have a high number of goals in comparison to other teams.
“We are aware that we will have to defend, even if the intention is to attack at every chance we get.”
