BILLY BUNTER

Weblog: The football punter

Bielsa's fiery tactics make Bilbao spicy opponents

SIR ALEX FERGUSON has said he will accept a 1-0 in his side's first leg against Athletic Bilbao but he didn't say who to and I reckon the Manchester United bosscould have to cope with another poor European result at Old Trafford.

Watching one of Marcelo Bielsa's sides play is always a joy and I
expect their high-pressing in-your-face game to cause United problems.

Bielsa is one of the many managers to have been linked with Chelsea, but if Roman Abramovich were to choose him it would be as daft as Labour getting rid of Ed Miliband because he is too geeky and awkward, only to hire Napoleon Dynamite instead.

Bielsa is infinitely more tactically anal than Andre Villas-Boas so if the Blues' players hated AVB, they would detest Bielsa.
Not that it would get them far, as it's safe to say that the man they call El Loco is pretty no-nonsense bloke.

Don't forget, this is the guy who laid the groundwork for Diego
Maradona to take the Argentina job because Maradona seemed like a calming influence in comparison.

Mad or not, he knows how to get the right tune out of his teams and I think it could be a long night for returning United midfielder Anderson.