OPINION
Marcelo Bielsa might have shrugged off spygate with a huge powerpoint presentation but we’ve got no doubt that he would have been stung at the reaction against him from some of the pundits and former players that queued up to accuse him of cheating.
Bielsa has spent his whole career devoted to football and this is his first time in England. To be accused of that by other big names in the game will have hurt. Since then, Bielsa has announced his starting XI in his pre-match press conference.
Contrary to popular opinion, he hadn’t done that in the Championship before – in fact it was just once for an FA Cup game where he explained that he was giving the team out so that fans wouldn’t be disappointed at not seeing a lot of first-team stars. Phil Hay, Yorkshire Evening Post journalist, made this revelation on Thursday, while saying that “Since then, it almost feels like deliberate transparency – perhaps as a riposte to Spygate.”
The trouble is, since then, Leeds have lost three and drawn one of the next seven games. We’re not saying that giving out the team is responsible for this, but we would question the wisdom of giving your opponents your starting line-up a couple of days before you play them. For a manager who leaves no stone unturned, it seems odd to give your opponents information for free.
There are many Leeds fans who have urged him to stop doing it, but to no effect. Bielsa has named an unchanged side for the huge Championship game against West Brom tonight and even went as far as saying the bench would be unchanged too. If Leeds lose again, Bielsa might want to rethink his pre-match routine.
did it once before Spygate for FA Cup at QPR, but it felt like that was designed to explain/justify the mass of changes that were coming. Since then, it almost feels like deliberate trasparency – perhaps as a riposte to Spygate
— Phil Hay (@PhilHay_) February 28, 2019