Victor Orta has provided extra insight into working with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds United.
The Spaniard revealed earlier in the year he’s been a long-time admirer of Bielsa and had previously tried and failed to get him in the dugout at Sevilla and Zenit St. Petersburg.
After the club finished a disappointing 13th during Orta’s first full season as director of football, with mixed successes in terms of signings, things dramatically improved since the appointment of the legendary Argentinian tactician.
Leeds enjoyed their highest league finish and points tally in 15 years, only narrowly missing out on promotion back to the Premier League.
"He is an extraordinary technician, who understands our profession as he did at Newell's. Now I am further away from scouting but my team is our key. They are capable, high-level, intelligent guys,” Orta told Italian outlet Tutto Mercato.
“They want to work and I want to enrich Marcelo's work, to give him the best possible material for our game model. He is receptive, he is a person who improves my work, he raises the level, always, constantly.
"We have an important target, talents in League One and League Two, also in the academies. We are selective about foreign leagues, where for cost, age and performance we have precise objectives.
“The truth is that, within our limits and our budget, we try to find the perfect and most suitable profiles.”
During the summer, Bielsa was convinced to stay at the club, becoming the first head coach to start back-to-back seasons at the helm since Simon Grayson in 2011.
The 64-year-old was reportedly satisfied with assurances from the club the squad would be in a stronger position for an improved promotion push.
Kalvin Phillips remained at the club amid big-money interest from Premier League clubs, while the club took the controversial decision to sell Pontus Jansson and replace him with Ben White on loan from Brighton & Hove Albion, a player that had never played above a League One level before.
That strategy has been vindicated, with White excelling in the backline as Leeds boast the best defensive record in the entire Football League with just nine goals conceded from 16 games.
"No, this is more a myth than reality,” he responded, when asked if it was true Bielsa calls him at night.
“He is a man who works, who asks a lot. We have the luxury and the privilege of working in football, we work seven days a week, twenty-four hours.
"As a director I have a responsibility to find the player who fits the Leeds game model. I have to read our coach and find the players who know how to best adapt, otherwise the risk of making a mistake is high."
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