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Lucas Radebe convinced his beloved Leeds on course to reclaiming their place among the world's elite

Former South African soccer captain Lucas Radebe sttends the Red Carpet event prior to the 2010 Soccer World Cup Final Draw at the CTICC on December 4, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Former South African soccer captain Lucas Radebe sttends the Red Carpet event prior to the 2010 Soccer World Cup Final Draw at the CTICC on December 4, 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
Image: 2010 FIFA World Cup Organising Committee South Africa

South African football legend Lucas Radebe believes that Marcelo Bielsa is perfectly poised to help Leeds United reclaim their place among the world's elite after the Argentinian recently spearheaded the club's fairytale ascent to the English Premier League to end 16 years in the lower tier wilderness.

Bielsa took just two years to lead Leeds back to the Promised Land and Radebe - who retired from football in May 2005‚ a year after relegation condemned the club to the lower tier of English football - was understandably euphoric when his 101-year-old former employers won promotion after winning the English Championship.

“I know we’ve got a great coach in Bielsa‚ a great chairman (Andrea Radrizzani) who’s very ambitious and who shares the dream with Leeds United fans‚” the former Bafana Bafana captain told SowetanLIVE from his home in Johannesburg.

What makes Bielsa so great and different to all the other managers who’ve been trying to bring the club back to Premier League is his attention to detail in everything he does with the team.

“I think for me he’s the special one‚ he’s so great.

“The way Bielsa has influenced the club is amazing. But most importantly it’s the chairman who played a massive role in resurrecting a club‚ a giant that’s been missed at the topflight of the English game.

“The chairman’s investment in the club makes a huge difference. Going to Argentina and talking to Bielsa‚ who is one of the respected coaches in the world football‚ it’s absolutely amazing for a team like Leeds United.

“And again to have the passion we have that flows in the club from the management to the players‚ shows Marcelo Bielsa is doing things right.

“When I spoke to Liam Cooper (the current club captain)‚ he told me a lot about the way Bielsa runs the club and the way he is as a person. He’s absolutely amazing.

“He’s changed the way of working with the players and I spoke to one of the directors about how Marcelo works. He said he’s down to detail and doesn’t just sign players.

“You look at the squad that he’s leading now. These are the players that four years ago were not viewed in the same light as they’re now.

“The value of the players has gone up and people like Ezgjan Alioski‚ Kalvin Phillips and Liam Cooper‚ you know he’s showed through these players how special he is.

“For me it was great to hear that Bielsa doesn’t just sign players but he consult and go to details to sure that that is what he wants for the team.”

Radebe captained Leeds in the mid-1990s to early 2000s before the club was relegated while in the throes of financial turmoil.

The much-loved Leeds great said the club's absence for the Premier League was a bit bitter pill to swallow as the club enjoys massive support and has great potential.

“It’s been 16 horrible years‚ hard and disappointing long years for such a great and massive club to be in the doldrums of the lower leagues‚ which was disappointing and sad to see if you know the history of the club.

“They’ve always been a great club and even when they were relegated to League 1 they still maintained their great following‚ the biggest in that league. In the Championship it was the same again but I think it was a dream come true for all of us to gain promotion.

“But for the fans it’s been tough and to see them back is absolutely amazing and we’re all excited. We’re not just back but we’ve won the Championship‚ which is great and shows that this club is capable of going places.

“I spoke to the captain last month and I have been in touch with some of the directors..... it’s absolutely amazing‚ you know‚ what they’ve gone through and have [now] managed to clinch promotion at this time.

“And yes‚ I would have loved to have been there to celebrate this achievement with the club. It means a lot to us and a lot to the current players.

“We know that the journey we had has not been that easy and to be honest‚ the aim is to stay in the Premier League because I think there’s a chance of us competing in Europe in the next few years after the club has solidified the squad.”

Radebe long-time association with the club has won him massive respect and adulation at Leeds.

The 51-year-old former defender is regarded as a icon at the English club and he remains a hugely celebrated cult figure years after his retirement from the game.

“It means the world to me‚” he said.

“It’s not easy when you embark on a career like I had‚ especially going away from home and then having such an impact.

“It shows their appreciation‚ respect and the value that I’ve added to the club. For them to show me the acknowledgement and respect they did through the years‚ I think it says a lot.

“I must have done something right but I’m really grateful and thankful because things like this don’t really happen all the time… people from a foreign country embrace you and take you in as one of them.

“So for me it was such an honour to play for such a great club and leave such a legacy‚ which will live in people’s minds forever.

“It shows that when you do something and give yourself 100% in what you love the most‚ it takes you and puts you on a different pedestal where it gives an opportunity to be seen or to be an icon‚ to be a role model to aspiring young footballers who would like to play football on a professional level.”

The EPL 2020-21 season will start on Saturday‚ September 12 just six weeks after the conclusion of the previous one that was derailed by the coronavirus pandemic. It is scheduled to finish on May 23‚ 2021‚ just 19 days before the rescheduled Euro 2020.

Leeds were promoted to the Premiers League alongside West Brom.