Huddersfield Town managerial duo Danny and Nicky Cowley have paid a glowing tribute to Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa, describing him as one of football's few "pioneers".

The pair are set to face off against Bielsa when they take charge of their first West Yorkshire derby since being appointed at the John Smith's Stadium earlier this season on Saturday, and it seems they have plenty of respect for the man standing in the opposite dugout.

Speaking in a joint interview ahead of the game with Sky Sports, the two brothers were asked for their opinion on the Argentine, with Danny Cowley saying: "There are very few people you can call pioneers in football but I think he definitely is one.

"I remember watching back his Chile team play England. You can see his teams are very well-coached and it seems like the players are almost on remote control.

"You only get to that place with very good training."

That is a sentiment that appears to be shared by brother Nicky, who added: "I think it says a lot for our English game we have got a manager who has achieved everything he has, and is held in such high regard, working in the second tier of our football.

"He is a fantastic example to young coaches looking to take inspiration, because he manages to get his team all playing with one brain."

Bielsa's Leeds side go into the game second in the Championship table having won their last five games in a row.

Huddersfield meanwhile are 19th in the standings, just two points clear of the relegation zone, despite the fact that they are unbeaten in their last six matches on home soil.

The Verdict

This does look to be a pretty fair assessment from the two Cowley brothers.

Bielsa's somewhat unorthodox methods and meticulous attention to detail have won him plenty of new admirers since his arrival at Leeds, and if he does get them promoted, it will be yet another feather in his cap given how they were languishing in mid-table when he first took over at the club.

Indeed, when you look at the size and profile of the club's he has managed throughout his career, it is hard not to acknowledge the impact he has made over the years, given the types of roles he has been given time and again across several decades now.

Despite that, you never know what can happen in derbies, and given the impressive work the Cowleys have done since their move to Huddersfield, it doesn't seem as though three points are by any means certain for Bielsa and co. on Saturday.