'Finished' - Pascal Struijk recalls Marcelo Bielsa’s ruthless Leeds mentality test | OneFootball

Pascal Struijk has reflected on Marcelo Bielsa’s uncompromising standards at Leeds and the resilience demanded of youngsters promoted to senior training. The Dutch defender was a teenager involved with the first team after Bielsa’s 2018 arrival.

"There was this drill and if you didn’t do it well enough, especially as an Under-23s player coming over to train with the first-team, if it was not good enough he'd just say 'Pascal, finished', and I’d have to go back to the Under-23s again. This was a big part about how you get that mental strength and resilience from."

The remarks were made on the club's Official Leeds United podcast.

"It tests your character," said Stuart Dallas. "He wanted to see how you’d react."

Struijk featured five times in the 2019/20 promotion run-in, then made 27 appearances as Leeds finished ninth in the Premier League the following season.

Now 26, the left-footed centre-back stayed after relegation in 2023 and remains central to Daniel Farke’s plans. He is the only established first-teamer left from Bielsa’s title winners, with Illan Meslier unused this season and Jack Harrison on loan at Fiorentina.

Source: yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk