Bielsa told an anecdote involving a confrontation with Crespo in his Leeds press conference on Thursday.
Hernan Crespo has accepted Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa’s apology in a long-winded, heartfelt message on Twitter after the Argentine boss spoke of a confrontation with the ex-striker in his pre-Norwich press conference on Thursday.
Bielsa, 63, admitted that he had lied to Crespo in a bid to get a reaction out of the former Chelsea striker, after working together during the Leeds manager’s six years in charge of Argentina between 1998 and 2004.
The former Lazio and Marseille boss said that he had told Crespo that he had grown in maturity in a bid to increase his confidence on the national stage. Years later, Bielsa admitted that he had lied.
Crespo responded on Twitter on Friday morning, in a statement that included the striker stating how “disappointed” he was in Bielsa before accepting his apology and sending a “hug” to his former Argentina manager.
Here, this is Crespo’s message translated into English:
“Your apology made me rewind 14 years of a pain that I still have inside,” Crespo said. “That feeling leads me to write this letter. When one speaks, the risk is that the anger will push him to say some unfair words. Even though that does not change what I felt: it was a tremendous disappointment to feel deceived by a leader like you. The sadness was as great as the esteem I had for you.
“I had believed you from the first day we met in Parma. You not only told me your game ideas for the selection. You talked to me about how to manage myself as a driver, about my personality to make decisions without giving you the faces, Marcelo. You remember? It was a mature talk, although in the distance it distorted a bit. Everything we talked about is left in the initiality. Like you, I was never to open the doors of the changing rooms to the media or to the people. The fans do not want internal but respect for the shirt.
“Today I do it public because I got his words in Leeds. Of course, Marcelo, I accept your apology. I already forgave him a long time ago, I had to forgive him. I’m sorry we did not speak personally, not even by phone. But it’s never late. In addition, we both know that you had already realised your “grave error” long before this statement. It was clear the last time we discussed the subject. You remember how I spoke and what was my crude response … I would not have reacted so just to discover a play on words to motivate.
“You were and are smart enough to know that a player does not improve his level by a lie. If it happened, that footballer would be more foolish than immature. I do not want to go into details that neither you will give. In fact, that remains in the background. The most important thing is the teaching that leaves the situation that is now remembered. As you told us so many times, Marcelo, we have to deal with the truth, without deceiving the other. At the end of the road, whoever does this is not only the best leader but also the most mature one.
“It made me happy to hear this, Marcelo. I send you a hug. Hernan Crespo.”
Bielsa’s apology came after he spoke about convincing the Leeds players to believe in his strategy, after deciding against a different formation during the 2-2 draw against Swansea.
Leeds are next in action against Norwich at Carrow Road on Saturday afternoon, as Bielsa looks to continue his unbeaten start to life as the Whites manager and remain at the top of the Championship table.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
