Leeds loan star Jack Harrison is having some year, having kicked off the campaign with a pre-season tour under Pep Guardiola to joining Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road and fighting for promotion.
It makes the winger one of the best placed to compare the two’s styles, but going from the disciple to his mentor has not been a straightforward change.
That’s because, while the styles may be similar, the 22-year-old has found there are a few ‘very different’ aspects to how the respective managers operate, as revealed to the Manchester Evening News.
Yet that is not necessarily a bad thing, as working under the boss has given Harrison a fresh look on the game, and it has paid dividends with the former Young Lions ace featuring in 61% of our league starting XI’s.
Harrison has also scored three times and assisted a further three in his 28 Championship outings, and we have not lost whenever the Manchester City-loanee has had an impact on a goal – winning five, drawing one.
To be able to play a key part in our promotion push, though, he had to come to terms with what Bielsa demands and how he operates.
“He’s very different. He has a unique way of working and it’s been something I’ve enjoyed adjusting to,” Harrison said.
“In the way we play, if you watched both [Leeds and City], you would say so,” he added on the comparisons between Guardiola and Bielsa’s styles.
“But in terms of how the training sessions are conducted, they’re completely different, which is interesting because the outcome is the same.
“It’s two different styles of training but when you get on the pitch some of the ideals and the way we like to play is very similar.
“They’re very different from anything I’ve done before, we don’t do much possession [work] even though a lot of times in games we have a lot of the ball. There’s a lot of specific work on movements and players. As a player, you do things naturally but Marcelo breaks things down for you, he gives you detailed movements that can help you out significantly in a game.
“You don’t realise when he’s telling you, but in the game you realise it’s happening. He breaks down a game into each segment and it’s so detailed and intelligent. I don’t think any other manager thinks like that. It’s been great to work with him and see a different perspective on football.”