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Football

09th Jul 2016

Marcelo Bielsa explains why he quit as Lazio manager after two days

"El Loco" has his say...

Robert Redmond

Marcelo Bielsa quit Lazio on Friday, just two days after he was officially appointed.

The Argentinian manager, who Pep Guardiola has cited as a strong influence on his style of play, has a history of falling out with club officials, and lasted just a season in his previous role as Marseille manager.

However, even by Bielsa’s standards, and those of modern football, lasting 48 hours in a job is something special.

The 60-year-old has been linked with taking up the vacant role as Argentina manager, in what would be his second stint in the national job, but Bielsa has denied he’s about to take the role, or any other role.

He claims he left Lazio because the Serie A club had yet to sign the players he wanted by the deadline he set, despite there being eight weeks to run in the transfer window.

Olympique de Marseille v Juventus FC - Preseason Friendly

“After four weeks working together with you, we could not sign any of the seven additions in the work program expressly approved by the (Lazio) President Claudio Lotito,” Bielsa’s statement read.

“We also take into account the departure of 18 players who were involved in the previous season.

“It was agreed as essential to the implementation of the work program that we would sign at least four footballers before July 5, with the objective that they would be able to participate in pre-season.”

“For my style of work we needed to have these players arrive in a timely manner to train.”

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