Marcelo Bielsa press conference: Leeds fans react as resignation speculation over ‘Spygate’ proves unfounded

It’s been the week of ‘Spygate’, possibly English football’s most ridiculous controversy in recent memory.

Having admitted last weekend to sending an informer to observe Derby County’s training sessions – this before his Leeds United side beat them 2-0 at Elland Road – Marcelo Bielsa has faced a barrage of criticism from the football commentariat ranging from the pompous to the outright laughable.

Jermaine Jenas called Bielsa’s behaviour “disgusting” despite later criticising Bournemouth for failing to use “the dark arts” on Match of the Day 2, while Stuart Pearce claimed that the result should be reversed in what would be one of the most impressive overreactions since Eric Cantona launched himself into the stands at Selhurst Park back in 1995.

Though Leeds gave Derby an official apology and the Football League has announced an inquiry into the incident, Bielsa was fairly unapologetic after the match. Then it was announced that he would be holding an emergency press conference on Wednesday evening, which led many to speculate that he had suddenly decided to resign in shame.

Instead, Bielsa had something quite different in mind. In front of a PowerPoint presentation, he admitted to waiting journalists that he had been watching opponents all season because, well, why not? Oh, and he also gave an in-depth analysis on Derby’s tactics for the whole world to see.

Unsurprisingly given the success they’ve had so far this season, Leeds fans were hugely relieved to find out that Bielsa would not be resigning over what, in the cold light of day, is much closer to bog-standard research on opponents that it is to a plotline from a John le Carré novel.

The rest of us were just impressed with how much he subtly took the piss.

Here’s the best of the reaction:

Marco Bielsa not resigning and just saying he spies on everyone pic.twitter.com/ZFhxlwjzvf

— Luke Wilson (@goosewilson90) January 16, 2019

I sort of love Bielsa. “I observed all the rivals we played against and watched the training sessions of all our opponents before we played against them”

— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) January 16, 2019

So, as I understand it, the crux of Bielsa's press conference is him telling the EFL, 'Well, if you're going to charge me for spying you might as well include all these other times I've done it.' Amazing.

— Kristan Heneage (@KHeneage) January 16, 2019

Frank Lampard must be delighted: he made a big fuss about a guy in the bushes, and now Bielsa is revealing every single minute detail of Derby's tactics over the last two years via Powerpoint to the entire football world.

— Daniel Edwards (@DanEdwardsGoal) January 16, 2019

Frank Lampard: "Bielsa cheated!"

Marcelo Bielsa: "Welcome to my lecture: 'How to beat Frank Lampard's Derby County'"

— Jon Mackenzie (@Jon_Mackenzie) January 16, 2019

Marcelo Bielsa knows more about Derby County than Frank Lampard. Pass it on.

— We Are Leeds (@weareleeds_) January 16, 2019

The next storm will be when we find out Bielsa’s using a pirated copy of Microsoft Office

— Dan (@lufc_dan) January 16, 2019

Bielsa admitting to spying on every team Leeds have played this season is the most Bielsa thing ever. I hope he stays in England until he’s 90.

— Dylan Walsh (@dylanwalsh_) January 16, 2019

Bielsa making people think he’s gonna quit then showing his big brass balls in the form of a giant spreadsheet, GOAT manager.

— Dan (@GolazoDan) January 16, 2019

We now go live to Bielsa’s press conference pic.twitter.com/2EXzBsW0Ba

— Kev Robinson (@KevsXe) January 16, 2019

In summary… pic.twitter.com/KvVlCx3BEQ

— Leeds United (@LUFC) January 16, 2019

What did Bielsa actually say in his press conference?

For those of you who actually want to know what Bielsa talked about in his presser, here’s the main body of his quotes.

They actually make for fairly frank reading which, if anything, seems to have made him more popular. Well, not among Derby fans, obviously.

Marcelo Bielsa’s key quotes on ‘Spygate’

“If you allow me I would like to make a summary of what happened. It’s about watching from a public space an activity that is realised in a private space without the agreement with the goal of both gaining sports advantage and hurting the fair play.

“I already said I was the only one responsible for this situation. The club is not responsible whatsoever and nobody on my staff is responsible for it. The person who did that followed my orders and I am the only one responsible.

“Many people made an opinion on my behaviour. Many expressing, condemning the behaviour, saying that it was not ethical, that it was immoral. That it was violating of affecting fair play. That it was cheating. This club thought it was obliged to present public excuses to Derby County. And I was publicly told that my behaviour was not respecting the principles of integrity which is the basis of the club.

“Many managers, ex-footballers and footballers thought my behaviour was respectfulness. 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. 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. My goal is to make the investigation easier and I don’t think that something is going to make worse what they are looking for than what I’m saying right now.

“By doing that I assume the possible sanction of the authorities. I don’t want to compare my behaviour, my situation with previous behaviours regarding this subject. I’ve heard that there are other behaviours which also effect the fair play but I don’t want to defame myself by attacking others. I don’t want to point to any other situation that is not linked to my responsibility.

“Regarding what I’ve done, it’s not illegal. It’s not specified, it’s not described, it’s not restrained. 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’s legal is right to do. You have many things that are legal, but not right. This is true as is the fact that all the wrong things you do are not done with bad intention.”