Leeds are aiming to return to the Premier League this season, two seasons after being relegated to the Championship following Jesse Marsh’s sacking in February 2023.
While Javi Gracia’s replacement for Marsh ended up being a disaster and the Spaniard was quickly replaced by Sam Allardyce for the remaining four games of the season, Leeds United actually contacted another player over the vacancy. A Spaniard.
Andoni Illara has impressed Rayo Vallecano in La Liga and he has caught the attention of Leeds United as they look to find a solution to their season problems. However, Rayo Vallecano blocked any discussion.
Leeds United banned from talking to Andoni Illara
“It’s a choice that comes up,” Elora explains. “I spoke openly with Rayo Vallecano and we didn’t think it was a good idea to leave the club in the middle of the season – even if we were doing well. It wasn’t the right time.”
Instead, Illara left Estadio Vallecas at the end of the 2022/23 season and joined Bournemouth of the Premier League after rejecting a contract extension offer from the La Liga team.
With a potential Leeds move blocked, the Basque boss has had to pass up the chance to follow in the footsteps of Marcelo Bielsa, who coached him at Athletic Bilbao between 2011 and 2013.
When Illara met Bielsa in 2011, it was an eye-opener – despite Elloco’s initial misgivings about the right-back.
“He told me straight up what he thought of me,” Elora revealed. “I remember I played for Spain against Italy. I only played the first 45 minutes and I didn’t perform well and Marcelo was angry with me. Even though he wasn’t playing for Atlético, he wanted me to do better and asked me to have Better performance.”
Bielsa left Illara on the bench two games into his La Liga opener, with the coach telling the defender he was not physical enough to play his high-intensity football. By mid-September, tireless work had changed Elroco’s mind. In the 2011/12 season, Iraura started 52 of Atlético’s remaining 57 games and served as captain in the Copa del Rey and Europa League finals.
“When you play for Marcelo, you need to get used to the high demands,” added Iraura. “I have to wait for my first start and I have to earn his trust.”
These requirements would eventually influence his own philosophy.
“I just love the honesty of Marcelo’s football,” Iolara said. “He accepts losing to a better team but he wants football to be fair. He’s not afraid of exposing his players and his players covering big spaces, he makes his players brave, Because it’s not easy to play this way against strong opponents and I try to retain some of that, as well as the practice and tactical approach.”
