Keith Andrews has chosen Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa as his Championship manager of the season, despite the remainder of the campaign still to be played.
The Whites are one point clear at the top of the second-tier, with West Bromwich Albion a point behind his side, and hand rekindled their form before the campaign was suspended.
Last season, the Whites were beaten in the play-off semi-finals by Derby County to a 4-3 aggregate scoreline and the former West Brom midfielder has heaped praise on the Leeds boss for the way his team have reacted.
Andrews also believes that Leeds would have inevitably been promoted to the Premier League for the first time since 2003.
However, the coronavirus pandemic has caused doubt over the Championship season, with all football being postponed indefinitely as we stand.
“There’s a reason behind Bielsa, for me, there are a few reasons,” Andrews said on Sky Sports’ Championship team of the season podcast .
“Firstly, the disappointment of last season and losing in the play-offs, the manner of the defeat. We all know what that can do to the players and even the manager.
“If the manager still looks like he isn’t over it, then it can have a big impact on the squad. We all know about the style of football and the expectation levels at that football club, we all know what’s at stake.
“The way he’s got it going again, especially with that wobble in February. We were at Nottingham Forest, when Forest beat them 2-0. I thought that was it. I thought the wheels had fallen off.
“They went to Brentford on the Tuesday night, had a really good performance and got a draw. Now they’ve won five on the bounce.
“I think he would’ve got the job done if the season had continued.”
Talks over how the season should conclude are still going on with officials from the Premier League and the EFL in constant discussion.
The 64-year-old has achieved 154 points from a possible 249 in his two seasons in charge at the club.
Bielsa has been at Elland Road since 2018 and has taken charge of 91 games in this two-year spell.
