Kisnorbo all praise for Leeds United and Bielsa

Bengaluru, July 18: Former Leeds United defender Patrick Kisnorbo, who played a key role in the promotion from League One a decade ago, paid glowing tributes to the club and its Argentinian manager Marcelo Bielsa, after they returned to the top tier of English football following a 16-year absence.

Leeds United's return to the Premier League was confirmed after West Bromwich Albion's (WBA) loss at Huddersfield Town guaranteed them a top-two finish in the Championship.

Leeds have 87 points with two games remaining, five more than second-placed WBA who have a game in hand.

"A very big day for Leeds fans around the world, the club as a whole, the owners, players, coaching staff, coach," Kisnorbo was quoted as saying by the Stats Perform News.

Kisnorbo's time at Leeds is best known when he helped stun fierce rivals and Alex Ferguson's Manchester United 1-0 in a famous FA Cup victory at the Old Trafford, where Jermaine Beckford's winner sent the Whites through to the fourth round in 2010.

The same year Kisnorbo was adjuged the club's Player of The Year.

"It's such a big thing for such a big supporter base. To get promoted to the biggest league in the world is a fantastic achievement. They've awoken a sleeping giant and it'll be great for the game once the new Premier League season starts," added the 39-year-old former Socceroos international, who had a four-year stint at Leeds from 2009 to 2013.

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola was one of the earliest to congragulate Bielsa, who has been credited for turning around the fortunes of Leeds.

Bielsa joined Leeds in 2018 afrer stints with Argentina, Chile, Athletic Bilbao, Marseille and Lille.

His trademark character and tactics almost resulted in promotion in his first season until Leeds faded, dropped out of the automatic places and lost in the play-offs.

Consigned to another Championship campaign, Bielsa and Leeds were not to be denied the second time.

Kisnorbo, who now works as an assistant coach for A League side Melbourne City in Australia, was also lavish in his praise of Bielsa.

"He has come to Leeds with one thing in mind and that's to improve the club and team," Kisnorbo said.

"He did it his way. People don't understand, it's hard. He worked the players really hard mentally and physically but the rewards pay off in the end and that's why they were promoted.

"People don't realise how hard it's to be promoted from the Championship and he did it only through hard work, dedication and sacrifice. He demands everything from the players and you get rewarded like they've."

(With inputs from Agencies)