LEEDS lowdown on Bielsa’s side stars love it when in bushes!
TRAINING HQ INFILTRATED BY OUR MAN
escape with little more than a slap-on-the-wrist – and want a greater punishment, such as a points deduction, dished out.
But Leeds legend Brian Deane believes that the ‘Spygate’ affair has shown why the club recruited Bielsa. Deane said: “It’s all nonsense. If any club in the country found out that their manager was doing this kind of work, I’m sure that they would be very proud of him.
“This is a guy who has come in and inherited most of the squad and not spent huge amounts of money. He has made the difference through his mentality. The players respect him and a lot of that is down to the work he does and the way they prepare for matches.”
Deane added: “I haven’t got a problem with what he’s done.
“He has shown that he will leave no stone unturned to get this club back into the Premier League.
“I’ve been very surprised with some of the comments. Some of the pundits who have had a go, I’ve been disappointed with.
“A lot of them haven’t managed in the past. And as a manager you have to try and get every little advantage that you can.
“The only thing that matters is the club.”
The Argentine coach rocked the football world by admitting he’s spied on every team that the club have played this season in a gripping ‘Spygate’ drama.
But as our exclusive photos prove, we were easily able to observe the Championship table-toppers during Friday’s training session before yesterday’s 2-1 defeat at Stoke.
We watched from close quarters as the first-team squad were put through their paces at the club’s Thorp Arch training complex.
There was a chance to see new signing Kiko Casilla, who signed from Real Madrid on Thursday, in action in his first training session for
Leeds. And there was also an opportunity to cast an eye over hot prospect Jack Clarke, the 18-year-old winger who is wanted by a string of top clubs including Manchester City and Tottenham. Chelsea loan midfielder Izzy Brown was also training as he continues his rehabilitation after tearing an ACL last January. The Leeds players saw the funny side of our spying mission when they eventually spotted our man in the bushes. Striker Patrick Bamford had a broad smile once he noticed our lensman, even poking fun by cupping his hands and mimicking a pair of binoculars. Fellow team-mate Mateusz Kilch made the same gesture after Leeds beat Derby the evening that the spygate revelations broke.
Whites’ defender Barry Douglas also got in on the fun and decided to get his own back by filming our photographer with his Gopro camera.
And Chelsea loanee Izzy Brown was smiling as he saw the drama unfold. As a result, the players moved pitches, proving that even they didn’t like being watched.
There was no sign of Bielsa perched on his trademark bucket, but his coaches were hard at work as they continue their quest for Premier League promotion.
The players worked on tactics ahead of their trip to the Potters. There were free-kick drills, work on corners and the goalkeepers put through their own session.
Bielsa has been widely criticised by many in the football community after his remarkable spying admission last Friday.
Police were called to Derby’s training ground the previous day after a person was seen “acting suspiciously” outside the club’s training ground.
Rams manager Frank Lampard halted training and the police apprehended the person hiding in the bushes, although no criminal charges were brought. Just 24 hours later, Bielsa admitted prior to their league match – a fixture which his side won 2-0 – that he had sent the Leeds employee to spy on Lampard’s side.
Bielsa is being investigated by the EFL – but has stood by his mantra throughout the saga.
He is adamant that if you can gain an advantage by legal means, then why not make use of that opportunity.
However, he has accepted that he will have to “respect the sanctions” that are levelled against him or Leeds.