Marcelo Bielsa has “been very unhappy” at the media coverage of the spy storm that has engulfed Leeds United in the last week, according to Phil Hay.
The United manager took matters into his own hands on Wednesday by calling an emergency press conference in which he delivered an extraordinary PowerPoint presentation explaining his methods.
In an exchange with a Leeds supporter on Twitter, Hay claimed the tactical masterclass to the media was motivated by Bielsa’s unhappiness about what has been said to him over the last week.
hmm not sure. I know he’s been very unhappy about a lot of what’s been said about him.
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) January 16, 2019
OPINION
Bielsa’s revelatory press conference has mostly been well received by the media and football followers – Leeds fans have dug deep to find new depths of adoration for their club’s extraordinary manager – but there is no doubt that the Argentine was doing more than just pre-empting official investigations into his spying on rival clubs. Bielsa is not just trying to avoid sanctions, although that must surely be a part of it. Predominantly, he is eager to restore a reputation built up during 30 years of top-level coaching and which prompted Leeds to make him their highest-ever paid manager last summer. What he has achieved with the presentation that demonstrated his incredible analysis and attention to detail is turn a media storm into an education – for fans, journalists and other football coaches. Frank Lampard may have sniffily claimed, ‘we all do research’, but you can bet your life none does it to the level of the bucket-sitting genius in the Leeds dugout.