The Argentine has set an exceptional standard, both on and off the pitch, for Whites bosses to come.
He delivered what, for many years, felt like the impossible dream for Leeds fans in securing the Whites' long-awaited promotion to the Premier League, while earning the admiration of the city and the club's global fanbase.
In his second season as a Premier League manager, faltering form forced Bielsa to defend the footballing principles he developed over his 40+ year career as a manager, but sticking to his guns proved costly.
In February, Leeds lost four league games in a row for the first time under Bielsa in a challenging string of results which put United's hard-fought top-flight status in peril, causing the the club and coach to part ways on Sunday February 27.
We’ve worked out where Bielsa ranks among the club’s best and worst managers over the last 30 years, in order of win percentage.
Included are every manager who’s directed the Whites on a matchday since 1991, caretakers and all.
7. Paul Heckingbottom - 25%
Heckingbottom arrived at Elland Road on a wave of hype after his stunning managerial debut at Barnsley, for which he earned the Yorkshire Post’s coveted Sports Hero of 2016 award, featured an EFL trophy lift and a play-off final victory which took the Reds back into the Championship. Unfortunately, Heckingbottom couldn’t replicate his success with the Whites’ squad, and just four months into his tenure he departed Elland Road. Photo: Stephen Pond
8. Peter Reid - 27.3%
Initially appointed as interim manager, Reid’s first forays at Elland Road were extremely positive as he halted the Whites’ rapid decline and saved them from the drop. With the permanent job in the bag, Reid began the new season afresh, but with the club’s financial woes demanding superstars to be traded in for donkeys, Reid’s project failed to get off the ground, and the Liverpudlian was sacked after 22 games in charge. Photo: Laurence Griffiths
9. David Hockaday - 33.3%
One of the Whites’ most infamous appointments, David Hockaday was handed the post by Massimo Cellino in July 2014. With no experience of league football, the former Forest Green Rovers manager survived just six games at Elland Road, during which time four Leeds players were shown red cards, before Hockaday himself was sent packing. Photo: Paul Thomas
10. Neil Warnock - 36.5%
Entertainment was never in short supply when Neil Warnock was in town, though his waspish ways are certainly more palatable with the distance of time. His brash manner and questionable recruitment choices, swapping the club-legend-to-be Steve Morison in for actual club legend Lucciano Becchio, did not warm fans to Warnock and, crucially, failed to boost Leeds from mid-table mediocrity. After a winless run of six games Warnock was sacked in April 2013. Photo: Ian Walton
11. Steve Evans - 36.8%
Brought in to replace Uwe Rosler, Evans was successful in salvaging the Whites’ 2015-16 season but there were no fireworks. The Scot turned Leeds from a relegation-threatened side into a team that finished mid-table for the fifth season running. It wasn’t enough to impress Massimo Cellino, who teased Evans with contract renewal before binning him off for Garry Monk. Photo: Harry Trump
12. Brian McDermott - 37%
After a slow start, McDermott’s tenure looked promising after 7 wins in eleven took Leeds up to fifth place. The Whites’ flirtation with the play-offs was not sustained, however, and a dark winter period gave way to unmitigated free fall as the season came to a close, with McDermott’s men earning 3 points in nine games across March and April. Meanwhile, change was afoot in the boardroom and McDermott did not survive the arrival of Massimo Cellino, who took over the club in early 2014. Photo: Ben Hoskins