Marcelo Bielsa has admitted he is not “immune” from the sack.
The Leeds United chief insists he is not “vain” enough to think he is bulletproof at Elland Road after his side were hammered 7-0 by Manchester City, to slide into relegation trouble.
Bielsa conceded today that he was facing his “worst” period in Yorkshire, and that he felt “uncomfortable” and “weakened” after the collapse at the Etihad.
But the Argentine legend vowed to fight on and solve United’s problems with everything in his power.
Bielsa’s Leeds face Arsenal this weekend and he said: “Do you think there is a coach who can’t be sacked? Do you think I am so vain that I don’t think I can be sacked?
“Do you think that after suffering a 7-0 defeat I can discard the instability? Of course, the job of a coach is not stable. I don’t have anything that makes me immune from that characteristic.
“After losing 7-0, that’s the situation I have to live through. Upon all of these circumstances, all I can do is fight.”
Asked if he had taken Leeds as far as he could in his three and a half years in charge during which he won promotion, Bielsa added: “I never feel as though it’s good to promise. After a big defeat you are very sensitive. To say I’ve taken them as far as I can is to say it’s a closed cycle.
“But I am going to continue fighting until the end of the season. I always think that among adversity you always have to fight.
"You never know if that strength is going to be enough or the progression of the difficulties we come up against.
"Having said that, I’m going to fight until the end of the season without any doubts and I hope nothing happens that doesn’t allow me to do that. I am saying, to have the necessary strength to face what may come.”
Leeds are on a run of just two wins in ten games in the league and have conceded ten goals in their last two games.
But they ran Chelsea close which Bielsa says was Leeds’ best show of the season… followed by their “worst” at City.
“You have to show fortitude at this time,” he said: “Of course this moment is the worst of all the moments I have had at Leeds and to lose 7-0 is not just another defeat.
“After losing a game 7-0 you feel very uncomfortable and weakened, but it can’t be any other way. No one has the tolerance to listen to the explanation of a conductor who has overseen a 7-0 loss.
“I am in high spirits. It is part of my job to face the most difficult moments and to come out of them correcting things and taking on board things, not delegating responsibilities and not looking to blame others. They are the things I like to do.
“It is natural that a 7-0 result generated the repercussions it has generated and it is totally justified it has gone that way.”
