The spy who loved Leeds
THE rumour was that Marcelo Bielsa was about to resign but the outcome of his 70-minute speech yesterday sent out reverberations that were even more shocking.
“In a few words I can tell you we observed all the rivals we played against and we watched all the training sessions of the opponents before we played against them,” said the Leeds manager.
That was just the start. What followed was an incredibly detailed presentation and explanation by the Argentinian who has taken Leeds to the top of the Championship and sparked one of English football’s most extraordinary controversies.
Incredibly, he then insisted that not only was what he did not illegal but was “professional behaviour”.
Five days after admitting to spying on last Friday’s opponents Derby ahead of a match Leeds won 2-0, the full story was coming out.
From Stoke City on the opening day of the season – a game Leeds won 3-1 – to, perhaps, Stoke this Saturday when they play the return at the bet365 Stadium.
Memo to Bielsa: Stoke play with four at the back and one just in front. But then again he probably knows that.
Leeds have won 16 of their 27 Championship matches and lead the table by four points amid the backdrop of ‘Spygate’ but in that time they have drawn six and lost five.
Two of those defeats have been in the past few weeks: 2-0 at home to Hull and 4-2 away at Nottingham Forest.
Derby had complained to the EFL that Bielsa, 63, sent a spy to their training ground before they visited the Yorkshire club, with manager Frank Lampard describing the incident as unethical and claiming it had disrupted his side’s preparations for the match.
Now Bielsa says he wants to make the EFL investigation into the incident simpler by providing all the information required.
“My goal is to make the investigation easier and I don’t think that something is going to make worse what they are looking for than what I’m saying right now,” said Bielsa.
“By doing this I assume the possible sanctions by the authorities. I don’t want to compare my situation with previous similar incidents.
“I don’t want to make it easier for me by attacking others. Regarding what I’ve done, it is not illegal. It’s not specified,
described or restrained. The club is not responsible whatsoever. The person followed my orders and I am the only person responsible.
“I observed all the rivals we played and watched the training sessions of all our opponents before we played them. Many people have condemned the behaviour, saying it was immoral and affecting fair play, saying it was cheating – many managers and ex-players thought my behaviour was disrespectful.
“I don’t want to compare my behaviour with previous behaviours regarding the subject.
“I’ve heard there are other behaviours that affect fair play but I don’t want to defend myself by attacking others.
“I know now everything that isn’t illegal is not right to do.”