Eyeing the top flight:

Leeds boss’ future in doubt after playoff defeat to Derby

Chelsea legend and Derby County manager Frank Lampard celebrating after his side beat Leeds 4-2 in the second leg of the English Championship playoff semi-final at Elland Road on Wednesday. Derby reached the final 4-3 on aggregate and will face Aston Villa at Wembley on May 27 for a place in the Premier League. — Reuters

LONDON: Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa has accepted responsibility for his team’s failure to qualify for the Championship (second-tier) playoff final, saying their 4-2 defeat by Derby County has raised doubts about his future as head coach.

Leeds let a 1-0 first-leg semi-final lead slip at home against Frank Lampard’s Derby and lost 4-3 on aggregate over the two legs to end their hopes of Premier League promotion.

Bielsa, whose contract runs until the end of the 2019-20 season, was coy about his future when asked if he would stay at the club.

“There have been mistakes and that leads to doubts about the head coach,” the 63-year-old Argentine told reporters. “It’s not convenient to talk about this point right now.

“You know about this process. If the club offers me the possibility to carry on, I will listen to their proposal.”

Leeds’ last Premier League stint ended in 2004 and the West Yorkshire club were on course for automatic promotion this season before running out of steam in the final months of the campaign.

Bielsa’s side were top of the Championship standings in February, but lost six of their last 13 games and finished third behind Norwich and Sheffield United, which consigned them to the playoff battle for the final promotion spot.

I couldn’t find a solution ... and it’s my job to find solutions. There was a loss of control.

Marcelo Bielsa

“If you have the resources to reach something and you don’t reach it, if you face the difficulties you have to face and you have the possibility to reach the goal and you don’t reach it, we have to assume the worst possibility,” Bielsa added.

“I couldn’t find a solution... and it’s my job to find solutions. There was a loss of control. As managers, we should provide a solution, giving strong structures, but we had 20 minutes of disorder.”

Derby face Aston Villa in the playoff final at Wembley on May 27.

— Reuters Looking forlorn: Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa looks dejected after losing to Derby County in the Championship playoff semi-final match on Wednesday.