OPINION
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa didn’t have a lot of good news to impart to the fans at his pre-match press conference on Friday. As well as dropping the bombshell that top-scorer Kemar Roofe was injured, Bielsa also stated that he didn’t expect the current squad of players to be able to hit the same heights next season. With promotion taken out of their hands, Bielsa said that the game against Wigan at Elland Road on Easter Friday had decided their fate and seemed resigned to the play-offs. He said that he had exacted the maximum from a squad of players that only finished 13th in the Championship last season, and that he wouldn’t expect them to be able to fight for promotion again next season. It was a fairly dire warning for Leeds and fans flocked onto Twitter to react. Fans took it one of a few ways. That Bielsa would be leaving next season, that it was a poke to the players to get a final effort ahead of the play-offs, and that it was a warning to owner Andrea Radrizzani that he would need new funds in the summer. Either way, it’s hard to argue with Bielsa that he got the very best from a group of players who had been written off pre-season.
Here are the best reactions from Leeds fans:
https://twitter.com/ChatLUFC/status/1121780266949906434
Not sure I agree with this timing. Quite demotivating for players. I am feeling this is all going to end in the usual Leeds way!! Change and uncertainty.
— Ryan Newby (@RyanRyannewby) April 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/LWOSDanDewsnap/status/1121781507218137088
Is this a hint for backing in the summer or he’s off?
— Andy (@andy_mc1984) April 26, 2019
Love all this talk about funds being made available for squad strengthening!!! We need a CB, cover/replacement for Hernandez, winger and two strikers…. Yet in January we were haggling over the terms of a £700 k payment for Dan James. Its shit or bust this season I'm afraid
— Paul Taylor (@forza_pt) April 26, 2019
A call for financial backing in the summer if we don't go up then? I really fear we might lose him if we don't go up AND he doesn't get the money this summer that he needs to build a squad capable of taking us to the next level.
— Anthony Lewis (@tonylewis92) April 26, 2019
He’s letting them know that they must win the playoffs.
2 games ago, we had to win 5 to get promoted.
NOW we still have to win 5.
2nd chance so lets go do it— Andy Leatham ??? (@leedswhiterose) April 26, 2019
https://twitter.com/markcally8/status/1121789100615327746
https://twitter.com/MisterTrick2301/status/1121793031965831169
If he can do this with the current players, imagine what he'd do with some better ones.
— BewlayBros. (@TonyMitchell) April 26, 2019
He’s going next year isn’t he
— LUFC?? (@LeedsUnited97) April 26, 2019
We’ve overachieved with the squad we have can’t interpret Bielsa in another way.
— Royes (@SteffensenRoy) April 26, 2019
Wow. That's some statement
— Richard Mcgill (@richardmcgill20) April 26, 2019