English or not, Bielsa is the right man for Australia

As Guus Hiddink led Korea Republic to the semi-finals of the 2002 FIFA World Cup in what was an unforgettable summer, he didn’t know many words of the local lingo.

Source: NurPhoto

'Pandaero’ was a favourite, when he wanted the ball switched to the opposite side. Then there was ‘the local equivalent of thank you’ and a few swear words.

That was pretty much it for the Dutch coach but it didn’t stop him earning legend status with football stadiums named after him as well as earning honourary citizenship for his exploits with the national team.

I still remember the open-top bus parade around Gangnam in Seoul. I was also working at Daejeon Stadium when the Taeguk Warriors knocked out Italy and remember that, on this night at least, the old cliche of ‘people will be dancing on the streets due to this result’ was actually true. 

Could that happen one day in Sydney, Melbourne or Perth? Hiddink did do his bit for Australia but, at least for me, he always seemed to be Korea’s hero, not Australia’s.

Perhaps Marcelo Bielsa could have been, could still be, the man to be given an honorary Australian citizenship.

The idea of Marcelo Bielsa in charge of the Socceroos is an intriguing one.

He was linked after Ange Postecoglou’s departure. His comments last week suggested that he was, and would be interested in the future.

"Always I had the illusion that this could be an option or at a minimum to talk with them, to know what they want," Bielsa said a post-match press conference after Leeds defeated Western Sydney Wanderers.

"This contact never happened. I understand perfectly why it was like this but honestly, I would like to be part of the football of this country.

"The country could be dangerous because finally their football is growing.

"They are at an age in football that will give the national team a chance to get success."

There have been suggestions that Bielsa’s chances never got off the ground because he does not speak English.

It is understandable for federations to want to employ staff who speak the same language. When it comes to marketing, accounts and all the rest then being able to communicate with colleagues and bosses without the need for a translator is a fairly obvious requirement.

But when it comes to a coach who is the right man for the job in all the right departments then the old cliche that football is a universal language is also true.

Let the coach do his job watching the A-league, picking his squads and then training his players to win football games.

Bielsa’s methods don’t always bring results but one thing is for sure: the Argentinian has a vision.

He would challenge the players and at the very least, it would all be an interesting ride. And much of the football world would be watching to see how one of the most influential coaches gets on.

Not for nothing do a lot of people in England suddenly want Leeds United, not the most popular club in the country, to get promoted to the Premier League.

The issue of language has not been a problem for Leeds and should not be a problem anywhere. The idea that Hiddink couldn’t work in Korea because he couldn’t speak Korean was never discussed.

His translator was the only one who seemed to be stressed about it as he struggled to communicate some of the more colourful English language used by the Dutchman who always insisted that his cursing was translated.

Postecoglou seems to be getting his message across to the players as Yokohama F. Marinos challenges for the J.League title on the back of some of the best football seen in Japan for some time.

Indeed, British coach Simon McMenemy has had success in Asia using translators and believes they can help get the message across.

It means that a coach has to focus on getting exactly what he wants from the players with no frills. It can help focus the message and reduce it to its essence.

It would have been great to see Bielsa involved in Asian football. It still could. A lack of English is not a problem.