Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa has said his side are letting down Elland Road favourite Pablo Hernandez by seemingly missing out on a top two finish this season.
The Whites saw themselves left three points behind Sheffield United with two games to play with a defeat away at Brentford, leaving Bielsa and his men facing the prospect of the playoffs at the end of the season.
The 2-0 loss at the Bees saw Hernandez walk off in tears and Bielsa insisted he was worthy of finishing in the automatic promotion spots, those around him letting him down.
Admitting that the Whites looked destined for the playoffs, he told the Times: “Pablo deserves to finish first or second, so I understand how he feels. But football every day gives you new opportunities.”
Opinion
On his day there are few players in the Championship who can produce the same quality and talent as Hernandez can, but even the silky Spaniard cannot escape criticism for how Leeds’ promotion push has collapsed in front of their own eyes. Yes, he has created moments of magic which have led to success but at the same time he has been as wasteful as his teammates have and as such does not deserve the special treatment from his manager. If he deserved to finish first or second, he would be finishing first or second. Football is a team game and it does not matter one iota what an individual can do if those around him are not up to the task. Hernandez is at Leeds United and they have seemingly not done enough this season to secure automatic promotion. Maybe Bielsa is looking to kick his squad into gear to play for Hernandez, but the Spanish ace cannot rest on his laurels either.