Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa is admired by many, but some feel the reaction to his work is over the top.
Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa chose an unorthodox way to respond to the ‘spygate’ controversy last month.
Bielsa called an urgent press conference, before showing journalist a presentation of his scouting techniques, and explaining the scale of research he and his staff undertake.
The reaction to Bielsa’s response was largely positive, with his hard work lauded.
Not all of it has been favourable.
Former Bristol Rovers boss Darrell Clarke has insisted it is simply par for the course, and Bielsa’s research is overrated.
Clarke came close to being appointed manager at Elland Road by former Leeds owner Massimo Cellino in 2016.
He told the This Football Life podcast, reported by Training Ground Guru: “The Leeds United manager is doing his Powerpoint presentation the other week and everyone’s going ‘that’s amazing’.
“Well, no, it’s not. It’s what’s being done up and down the country in most changing rooms, it’s just we haven’t done a presentation. I can do you a Powerpoint presentation and you’ll be thinking ‘wow, what a man’.
“Bielsa said he’d watched 50 odd Leeds games, but any other manager going to a different country would be doing exactly the same.”
Whichever side of the fence you fall on with regard to Bielsa, it’s hard to argue with his results this season.
He has taken a side which finished in the bottom half of the Championship last season and turned them into contenders for automatic promotion.
This is despite the club spending transfer fees to sign two players, Barry Douglas and Patrick Bamford.
Now Bielsa needs to see the job through.
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