Bielsa Admits Suarez Criticism Impacted His Authority
Uruguay manager Marcelo Bielsa has acknowledged that Luis Suarez’s public criticism of his coaching style has had an impact on his authority.
The former Barcelona striker, who retired from international duty in September, accused Bielsa of creating division within the squad due to his training methods and alleged that some players were considering quitting.
Despite the fallout, Bielsa insists that the team’s commitment to the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifier against Peru was unwavering. The Argentine coach attributed the 1-0 defeat to Peru to a lack of execution rather than any internal issues.
While Bielsa admitted that Suarez’s comments affected his authority to some extent, he emphasized that he approached the match with the utmost seriousness and received the same level of commitment from the players.
The manager also noted that the incident did not alter the team’s preparation or the way the coaching staff worked. Uruguay, currently third in the World Cup Qualifying standings, will face Ecuador in their next match.
“What happened during the week does not condition or explain how we played, nor do I think it has had an effect because it was a week with a lot of effervescence,” Bielsa told reporters.
“As for how the situation affected me, I don’t ignore what happened, and I know that my authority was affected in some way, but I prepared for the game with the utmost seriousness, and the response I got from the players was the same as I have always had since I started working here.”
“It didn’t alter the conviction with which the match was prepared and the way the group and the coaching staff worked. The preparation was the same as always.”