I SPY
Bielsa has been spying on rivals ALL season, admits Leeds boss during incredible power point press conference
Argentinian boss is being investigated after he sent a 'spy' to the Derby training ground ahead of their Championship clash
LEEDS UNITED boss Marcelo Bielsa has sensationally admitted spying on every team they have faced this season.
The Argentinian is currently being investigated by the EFL after he sent a member of his staff to snoop at Derby County's training ground before their Championship club.
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Bielsa called an impromtu press conference at Thorp Arch on Wednesday, with fans fearing he was set to quit the Championship leaders.
Instead, the madcap boss ran the assembled media through an extensive 66-MINUTE powerpoint presentation analysing the Rams, involving stats, graphs, photos and videos.
Bielsa said: "I’m going to make it easier for the investigation of the league.
“I can tell you we observed all the rivals we played against and we watched all the training sessions of the opponents before we played against them.
“I didn’t have bad intentions and I didn’t try to get an unfair sports advantage.
“I did it because it was not illegal and not violating a specific norm.”
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The former Argentina boss added: "We can discuss it, it's not seen as a good thing but it's not a violation of the law. I know that not everything that is legal is right to do.
"But not all the wrong things you do are done with bad intentions.
"Many managers, ex-footballers and footballers thought my behaviour was dispectful.
"The last point of this situation is that the league after a complaint made by Derby County decided to open an investigation on my behaviour.
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STATEMENT FROM THE EFL
“The decision to progress this matter to a formal investigation comes as a result of the club’s manager, Marcelo Bielsa, admitting to instructing an individual to undertake the acts being complained of in a television interview broadcast on Sky Sports on Friday 11 January 2019.
“The Football Association has also confirmed they are considering the same matter in line with its own rules and the EFL will work with its FA counterparts to ensure that any potential action taken does not prejudice those investigations being undertaken.”
"So they will evaluate if I behaved bad and if my behaviour affected the prestige of the club or the league.
";One other point I would like to talk about is that I’m going to make it easier for the investigation of the league.
"I’m going to give the information it needs and I assume the fact that my behaviour is heard from the most extreme position.
"In a few words I can tell you we observed all the rivals we played against and we watched all the training sessions of the opponents before we played against them."
EFL chiefs confirmed they had written to the Elland Road club “requesting their observations” after Derby officials spotted the Leeds representative watching their match preparations through binoculars.
It led to the club themselves apologising to their Championship rivals. Leeds won the game in question 2-0.
Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa admits to sending a spy to Derby County training ground
And Bielsa described how his staff has analysed EVERY SINGLE Derby game from the 2017/18 season - with each taking an average of FOUR HOURS.
He continued: “When you watch an opponent, you’re looking for specific information.
“You want to know the starting XI, the tactical system they will use and the strategic decisions on set pieces.
“These are the three main axis that the head coach usually analyses.
“When you watch the activity of the opponent, you get this kind of information the day before the game or you confirm the information you already have.
“I don’t need to watch a training session to know how they play.
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“Why do I go? Because it’s not forbidden, I didn’t know it would create such a reaction and even though going and watching an opponent is not useful, it allows me to keep my anxiety low.
“What I want to tell you is that I want to be judged for my intentions. I don’t need the information I gather.
“I give this explanation to make you understand why I think I am not cheating, by doing something that is not illegal.
“I know I am not trying to get an advantage. I already have the information.
“Why do I do it? Because I think I’m stupid.”
Derby were in action in an FA Cup third round replay against Southampton later on Wednesday night - but boss Frank Lampard refused to comment on Bielsa's revelations.
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