SOCCER
Marcelo Bielsa uses Giannis Antetokounmpo as an example when talking about failure
Bielsa was presented as the new head coach of the Uruguayan National Team and used the words of the NBA star to explain failure.
Marcelo Bielsa was presented as the new head coach Uruguayan National Team manager in what is the 67-year-old in what is his first job since being sacked from Premier League club Leeds United in February 2022. In his presentation as Uruguay manager, Bielsa called on the words of NBA player Giannis Antetokounmpo when asked about what would be considered a ‘failure’ in his new role.
In his previous job, the Argentinian took the English side from the Championship to the Premier League and finished 9th in his first season in the top division, playing an attractive brand of attacking football that enamoured fans across the country. He had been linked with various jobs before being officially unveiled as Uruguay head coach, including those of Bournemouth and Everton.
Marcelo Bielsa’s response to the question about failure:
A journalist threw a question at Bielsa that asked him whether or not he would consider not winning the Copa América 2024 ‘a failure’, to which he responded by using the words of the now famous line given by Giannis when asked about the Miami Heat not winning the championship.
“You see the word ‘failure’ as one that you can point at someone and say ‘they succeeded’ or ‘they failed’. A basketball player [Giannis Antetokounmpo] gave a magnificent response to this and it is difficult to replicate, but it deals with your question and it responds to it in a great way that I could not. I suggest that response in order to evaluate what is failure and what is success”, Bielsa said.
What did Giannis say about failure?
Antetokounmpo’s words have been repeated and applauded by many people across a variety of sports ever since he gave the now famous answer:
“Do you get promoted every year? [No]. Right, so every year your work is a failure? There’s no failure in sports. There’s good days, bad days; some days you are able to be successful, some days you are not. Some days it is your turn, some days it’s not. That’s what sports is about. You don’t always win... Michael Jordan played 15 years, he won six championships. The other nine years was a failure? That’s what you’re telling me? I’m asking you a question, yes or no?”
Marcelo Bielsa has taken control of the Uruguayan National Team after the side were eliminated at the group stage of the Qatar World Cup 2022, with Diego Alonso at the helm.