Something had to change after the downward spiral of Leeds United.
Everyone knew that the one thing that would not be changing was the philosophy of the manager.
It proved that if he didn't change, then he would have to be replaced.
The decision to part ways with the enigmatic manager closes a chapter in which he restored respectability and credibility to the club and made him an icon in West Yorkshire.
The 66-year-old Argentine's stellar reputation among his peers is based on steadfast principles that football for the masses must be a front-foot thrill ride designed to deliver excitement and liven lives.
When it works it is a great spectacle, but when it falls apart it leads to a 16th place position in the table and 60 goals conceded, more than any other side in the division.
In the last few weeks, the refusal of Bielsa to alter his approach has left Leeds looking bereft, vulnerable and exposing a style that is fragile and fraught with danger.
He has left a body of work behind at Elland Road that will make him a hero for the fans of Elland Road, who have loved the entertainment he has provided for them, as well as his humble approach that chimed perfectly with the characteristics of the area.
Even in the face of grim recent evidence, fans of the club have refused to diminish their admiration for the man, but his insistence on his own style and refusal to seemingly even countenance a measure of pragmatism has led to a decision which will create great sadness at the club and among its supporters.
The absence of KalvinPhillips through injury is just one of the reasons why Bielsa can point to. They have had a huge impact on the effectiveness of the team, while also missing Liam Cooper.
He would say that any team would miss such big players, although the desire to maintain a relatively small squad has not helped.
The possibility of Bielsa leaving at the end of the season is something that would have been prepared for by Leeds. He operates on one-year contracts and his time was coming to an end.
The real threat of being demoted has made this more the time of choosing for any separation of the ways.
Even though this is a gamble, Jesse Marsch seems to be the front runner, as he is an advocate of the style of play of the coach.
At Red Bull Salzburg, Marsch won two Austrian titles and two domestic cups, but he failed in his last job, where he was sacked after less than six months.
He isn't well versed in the tensions and twists of a top flight struggle so he will be hoping that he is up to speed quickly.
Fans of the team are forever grateful that he put them back in a place they feel is their rightful home.
He picked up a club that had been through financial turmoil, and halted a rapid turnover of managers that had become an embarrassment to one of the game's great old football institutions.
Fans of the club accepted the flaws in the plans of the manager in exchange for the entertainment he gave them, which was not without reward in the form of promotion and consolidation in the league.
It was the manner in which his side were being heavily beaten on a regular basis in his closing days that was the catalyst for a painful decision, one that many will feel is harsh and sad, but a move made to stop.
A coach and personality who will always have a special place in the hearts ofLeeds United fans, is the one who is named Marcelo Bielsa.
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