Tim Sherwood has delivered his verdict on the extraordinary press conference that Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa gave on Wednesday, and said he doesn’t believe the club will be hit with a points deduction.
Responding to the furore that has broken out since he admitted to watching Derby train, Bielsa admitted to watching every single one of his opponents train before launching into detailed analysis of his coaching methods.
Talking on Sky Sports The Debate Show, former Tottenham manager Tim Sherwood said he didn’t think the EFL would give Leeds a points deduction by way of punishment.
“They can’t hurt him can they? Nothing they’re going to do is going to hurt him,” Sherwood said.
“This guy’s managed 10 clubs already. I think he’s a time bomb ready to go at any stage.
“He’s managed two national sides. There’s nothing they can do to hurt him. The only thing they could possibly do is hurt the football club, deduct points or some nonsense like that, but I don’t believe they will do that.”
Can the @EFL punish #LUFC and Marcelo Bielsa?#TheDebate is live on Sky Sports Premier League now! pic.twitter.com/4vjl4Y4yA8
— Sky Sports Premier League (@SkySportsPL) January 16, 2019
OPINION
It’s good to hear someone talk with a modicum of sense over this. We’re getting tired of listening to pundits, pretty much all of whom have incidents of ‘cheating’ from their playing careers, trying to act outraged over something so trivial. Gary Lineker and Jamie Carragher were the two high-profile exceptions. Both of them watched the press conference unfold and then said they ‘loved’ Bielsa for what he had said. In the modern day it’s far easier to act outraged and get yourself some column inches or justify a return fee on Sky Sports. Sherwood has got Bielsa pretty much spot on. He’ll be bemused by this and his career won’t be defined with what happens at Leeds, although he could make himself a legend at Elland Road. The only thing the EFL could do is ruin this year’s Championship. And we don’t think even they would be stupid enough to do that.