Eleven clubs have written to the EFL to request a more detailed investigation in to the Leeds United ‘spygate’ scandal, according to journalist Phil Hay.
Following Marcelo Bielsa’s comprehensive press conference on Wednesday evening, during which he admitted to spying on every team his side has faced so far this season, as reported by the Telegraph, a number of sides have contacted the governing body.
In a post on his personal Twitter account made on Saturday afternoon, Yorkshire Evening post journalist Hay said: “Statement from EFL confirms that 11 other Championship clubs have written to it asking for a detailed investigation into ‘Spygate’ on the back of Marcelo Bielsa’s press briefing on Wednesday.”
Statement from EFL confirms that 11 other Championship clubs have written to it asking for a detailed investigation into 'Spygate' on the back of Marcelo Bielsa's press briefing on Wednesday. #lufc
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 19, 2019
OPINION
Leeds fans should not be too worried by the suggestion that 11 clubs have contacted the EFL over the ‘spygate’ scandal. No laws were broken, no rules were contravened, and aside from some morally questionable activity, Bielsa did not do anything wrong. There is, of course, the question of whether leeds were acting ‘in good faith’ when they sent a member of staff to stand in the bushes next Derby’s training ground, but it’s such a subjective part of the EFL’s constitution that it would be hard to pin anything to United. Talk of points deductions and the like are probably way over the top, and it is far more likely that the uproar from fellow Championship sides will lead to a review of the rules a the end of this season. The other way to look at it, of course, is that only 11 sides wrote to the EFL, excluding Leeds and Derby, that means that 11 didn’t, and so maybe things aren’t as bad as they seem for United.