Sky Sports pundit Keith Andrews has slaughtered the actions of Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa after the Argentine admitted to sending someone to spy on Derby County’s training sessions.
The buildup to Friday’s clash had a cloud cast over it after Frank Lampard’s men accused the Elland Road outfit of watching on at their training ground, the police speaking to a man watching from a public area of land.
Speaking ahead of the game, Bielsa admitted he had sent someone to spy on the Rams and Andrews was left livid over his actions.
He told Sky Sports’ coverage of the clash on Friday night (11/01, 19:08): “It’s madness. Initially there’s a little bit of a comical value to it, someone skulking around the opposition training ground, but you think about it more in depth and it’s disgusting really.
“It’s not the way things are done over here. It’s not illegal but it’s immoral, it’s not in the spirit of the game. I don’t really give a damn culturally. He absolutely has to change (depending on the country), tactically he’s had a lot of plaudits this year and people talking him up big time.
“It’s disgusting and it has to stop.”
Opinion
This really is one of the most extraordinary stories in not only the Championship but the whole of British football this season and it has got everyone talking about it. There are going to be so many people who agree with Andrews’ views on the situation but there are going to be many others who view the manager’s actions differently. The debate it is creating is just something else and rustles up a whole host of issues and dilemmas for the likes of the FA and EFL to deal with. Has Bielsa broken the rules? What punishment, if any, will be handed out? Is it something for clubs to stop, or is there an expectation it just will not happen? We are less than two weeks into 2019 and already we have one of the biggest talking points of the year. Let us hope it does not force Bielsa out of the country for he really has been a breath of fresh air in his short time in England.