Bielsa’s influence has been far and wide in the football coaching world, with the likes of Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola and former Tottenham Hotspur manger Mauricio Pochettino among those who have sung his praises.
He is no longer the Leeds boss, but it is still remembered fondly by the Yorkshire club and their supporters, while players such as Jack Harrison and Raphinha have chimed in on how influential he has been in their career.
Riera admits he was influenced by a statement made by Bielsa where he propagated the two ways of playing football; the first being a waiting game, while the second to be more direct.
The former Liverpool star and current Slovenian club Olimpija Ljubljana coach stated that he prefers the second approach; he wants his team to draw a reaction from their opponents.
Speaking to The Athletic, Riera said: “I like what Marcelo Bielsa said a long time ago about how there are two ways to play football.
“One is to wait for the mistake of the opponent.
“Two is to play with personality and try to provoke the mistake of the opponent.
“I prefer the second one.
“I want my team to be the protagonist, to feel that you are superior to the opponent.
“That’s the style I want.”
Riera has made a good start to his coaching career with Olimpija Ljubljana, guiding them to ten victories in his first eleven league matches, despite angry fans interrupting his unveiling as their boss.
It remains to be seen if his managerial career will bring him back to the Premier League, where he played for Liverpool and Manchester City.
