This past summer, I sat in a London theatre and listened to former Brazil Captain Socrates insist: “It’s not what you achieve that counts, but the way in which you achieve it.” I remember thinking I couldn’t agree more. And after this week, neither could 17 million Chileans.

Having called an impromptu press conference on Wednesday evening, the night before the results of the Chilean Football Federation (ANFP) Presidential elections, Chile coach Marcelo Bielsa announced that he would resign should Jorge Segovia, clear favourite, and current President of Primera Division club Union Española, win office. He won. And Bielsa, true to his word, is off. The Argentine had enjoyed a strong working relationship with outgoing President Harold Mayne-Nicholls, who granted the 55-year-old complete autonomy throughout his tenure, and was known for his support of the nation’s smaller clubs. In contrast, Segovia, who won by 28 votes 22, achieved victory thanks to the support of Chile’s largest: including Colo-Colo, Universidad de Chile and Universidad Católica.

Bielsa’s departure brings to an end the most successful period in the nation’s recent footballing history, but his legacy has been defined by more than just results. More than the remarkable World Cup qualification record that not only took them back to the big show for the first time in 12 years, but did so without anyone on the continent winning more matches. More than the fact that they beat Argentina in a competitive match for the first time in 35 years. More than overseeing the emergence of youngsters such as Gary Medel, Carlos Carmona, Arturo Vidal and Alexis Sanchez that leaves La Roja staring at a very bright future. More than that. Much more than that, what’s really hurting Chilean football fans this weekend is that the last few years have been bloody good fun.

From Santiago to Arica and back down to Puerto Montt, an entire nation fell in love with ‘El Loco.’ As they homed in on automatic qualification for South Africa, a facebook group calling for the Argentine to be made the nation’s President surpassed a few thousand members; tens of thousands more were lighting candles in honour of ‘Saint’ Marcelo. Not only did he restore a nation’s pride, his brand of high-tempo attacking football put smiles on faces while doing so.

When he landed the job in August 2007, Chile had failed to qualify for another World Cup and crashed out of the Copa America, hammered 6-1 by Dunga’s Brazil. Moreover, Bielsa had been out of the game for three years: his reputation in tatters after his Argentina side had failed to even emerge from their first round group in World Cup 2002 - a Copa America final defeat to Brazil did little to repair the damage. An absolute obsessive –said to have taken 1,800 football videos with him to Japan– the Argentine immediately wiped the slate clean and set about writing a new chapter in Chilean football. “While you’re sleeping,” he once famously told one of his players, “I’m thinking of ways for the team to win.”

Instantly installing his now infamous 3-3-1-3 –a system every bit as aesthetically madcap as its creator- focused around a front three that often more closely resembled a front six or seven, Chile bamboozled opponents all over the continent, scoring victories in La Paz, Puerto La Cruz, Lima and Asuncion. A staunch socialist, Bielsa’s system relies on unity. His players are required to move as one, work together in triangles when in possession of the ball and press high up the field without it. The idea is to create as many two-on-one situations as possible. It often looked akin to a schoolyard kickabout as hoards of red shirts swarmed on their opponents like a swarm of angry bees. It was every bit as thrilling as it was successful.

With their tactical boffin crouching on the sideline (it’s the best way to see the game, he maintains) this past summer, Chile blew a breath of fresh air into the opening week of a World Cup that was already trying the patience of the most pragmatic of football fans. “In today’s football caution is a virtue and daring is not well thought of,” he said. Yet two single goal victories, much more comfortable than the scorelines suggested, over Honduras and Ottmar Hitzfeld’s lugubrious Swiss, proved him wrong. His side rightfully won plaudits the world over.

Following defeat to Spain, 17 million Chileans celebrated qualification. Their coach expressed caution: “To celebrate qualification when it is superimposed with a defeat generates ambivalence” he warned. It was classic Bielsa. They eventually went out to Brazil in the second round, overpowered once again by Dunga’s bullies. But in defeat, they had found something the nation had long been lacking: a footballing identity. The search must now start over. With Bielsa’s resignation, Chileans kissed goodbye to the free-flowing, interchanging, high-tempo, expansive football. The idealistic sound bites and those bushy eyebrows teetering menacingly over the edge of the technical box have gone too. They’re all just memories.

The Chilean dailies have spent much of the past 72 hours reporting on the inevitable backlash that will ‘greet’ the new administration. Terra have been crawling through the message boards, besieged with scorn reserved for Segovia and co., while La Nacion concentrates on rumours of electoral rigging, suggesting the new President may yet be instantly ousted: while an unlikely scenario, it illustrates the sense of desperation that is ripping through the heart of Chilean football this weekend. Even Sebastian Pinera, the nation’s actual President, has become entangled in the story, issuing a statement strongly denying accusations that he, or any of his cabinet, attempted to intervene in the ANFP elections.

As the new administration attempts to weather the storm, the search for Bielsa’s replacement is already underway.  Manuel Pellegrini had long been rumoured to be in contention, but he was appointed Malaga coach last week. Gerardo Martino has ruled himself out of the running, so too has Boca coach Claudio Borghi. However, with the Copa America not kicking off until next summer, there’s no rush to find a successor and a decision isn’t expected before the new year.

Bielsa, meanwhile, whose final game in charge will be a friendly against Uruguay in ten days time, leaves with his head high and his reputation restored. Mayne-Nicholls yesterday thanked him for the “legacy he leaves us for future generations.” It’s one that has been rightly celebrated. But more importantly, it’s one that has been thoroughly enjoyed by all.