Presser In full:
Leeds United news LIVE: Recap of everything Marcelo Bielsa said in fascinating 90 minute press conference ...
Leeds United's new head coach Marcelo Bielsa will meet the press for the first time this afternoon, as the club get set to introduce the former Argentina and Chile boss to the media at an Elland Road press conference at 2pm.
It promises to be a fascinating occasion with journalists from across the globe heading to Yorkshire to see how the respected coach plans to tackle the job of getting Leeds United back into the Premier League.
We'll be in place at the Whites' stadium to bring you everything that the new man has to say on his Leeds United masterplan, how he plans to approach pre-season, the work he has put in already and more.
Plus we'll bring you all the latest transfer news and other developments from the club so stay tuned.
Key Events
Bielsa on his English 17:11
How many new signings do you need? 14:10
17:11Key Event
Bielsa on his English
English lessons will play an important part in Marcelo Bielsa’s first months at Leeds United with the hope he will be fluent by the end of the season.
The Argentinian has already been devoting several hours every day for the past three weeks to learning the language, but it will be some time before he tries to speak English in public.
It is understood he will use the example shown by Mauricio Pochettino, a close friend and acolyte, when he first came to the UK.
Read more here
Marcelo Bielsa during the press conference at Elland Road, Leeds on Monday June 25, 2018.(Image: Mike Egerton/PA Wire)
16:45
Bielsa's key points
We’ll have plenty more reaction to Bielsa’s press conference for you shortly, but here’s a summery of some of the main lines:
His squad needs to be strengthened in ‘four or five areas’
He is willing to let as many as 15 players leave
His team will attack
He watched every one of Leeds’ 51 matches last season - plus their post-season friendlies in Myanmar
Video analysis is hugely important
He knows ‘everything a foreigner could know about Leeds United’
16:37
Our take on Bielsa's presser
We’ve been live on Facebook to discuss what we made of this afternoon’s press conference.
Have a watch here...
15:36
Photo ops...
And now onto some snaps that will be appearing on tomorrow’s back pages..
15:22
That's all for now...
Stick around though, plenty more to come...
15:21
Is he a Clough and Revie man?
Who did he prefer? Don’t get this one wrong Marcelo...
In terms of winning the right way, I prefer to lose than cheat or play tricks.
I prefer beautiful football rather than over -pragmatic football. You’re not allowed to play outside the rules, it doesn’t bring you trophies.
Playing well brings you closer to winning things.
I don’t think we can claim playing badly is a means to an end to win.
15:19
Can he get Leeds playing in his no-nonsense style?
Yes, when you come to an environment like this everything is done in a very professional manner.
Is Leeds known for being hard working? I thought the industrial north was higher up the country.
15:17
On pre-season friendlies
Is he happy with them?
I know the level at which our future opponents compete at. And I cant comment on the exact standard as I’ve not seen a lot. But I trust the people who set them u
15:16
Which players is he most looking forward to working with?
We can’t single out players, even in a good sense because we never get forgiven. I’ve got opinions but I’m not going to speak about them.
For a start this press conference is all too much about me, and this isn’t a good thing for manager-player relations. Speaking as much as I have been just now is not good for the job I’ve got ahead of me.
15:15
What has he said so far?
It’s trying to communicate a style, a way of playing. That’s the key, conveying that style.
15:14
What about your contact with the players?
We said hello, greeted each other this morning.
15:14
How does he interpret the 'El Loco' nickname?
I’ve got a prepared answer I’ve had a while for this one.
I was first given it because maybe my style of giving replies in press conferences was different to most managers. I don’t know if you believe that?
15:12
What does he think about the Championship?
I’ve heard it’s the 6th or 7th best league in the world. Talking about the stadia - I’ve seen stadia that only hold 10,000 but they’re great. They add a bit more sauce to the occasion. They’re all good.
I guess in my experience, it’s been the classic stadium like Fulham, now you see the massive futuristic stadia.
What is key for me is I’ve got a real flavour for it and can’t wait to get started.
15:10
How is his English coming on?
I’ve got lots to thank my mother for, but she sent me to English classes for 15 years.
I will try. But I said the same in France and didn’t manage it.
15:09
On Messi
There’s nobody better placed than Messi to tell you how he feels. He has to pass an exam every time. He is where he is because he demonstates his quality at every point. I hope with all my strength he demonstates what he can do tomorrow.
All of us who love him are sending us his best wishes for tomorrow,
15:08
Bielsa brings the bants
This is the first time I have been in charge of a club for six months, are you worn out?
Bielsa asks the translator if he’s tiring him out yet. We’re almost 70 minutes in here.
15:07
On Argentina again
We can answer your question with this reply: Doing the rounds in the Argentina media is a start from Tata Martino about how hard it is to do the job because of the demands placed on them by the national media. I have 100% confidence in them and that’s not me hoping it will happen, that’s based on fact. I think the players will find a way out of this situation.
The management team have more than enough experience and knowledge to get them out of this situation so the players themselves and the coach need to feel the support of us and the fans. I think they need to feel the love and support of everyone. We support them and are right behind them.
I’m on board with what Martino has said but I’m probably not the best qualified person to be asking about this currently because back in 2002 I was in charge and we were knocked out in the group stages, which gives me doubts about whatever is said. To turn things around, I think the words of Martino sum up perfectly what Argentina need. Love and support.
15:02
On getting the Thorp Arch blueprints
My daughter told me not to talk about it. I’ve been told not to speak about building work. It’s a top class training centre that doesn’t need any tinkering with or alterations.
It might be a slight alteration here or there but nothing major.
Will the players be sleeping there?
Not thought of that yet - I might be taking that as a suggestion.
15:00
Bielsa on the Champions League days
Next up is a question about what he knows about the Champions League days and subsequent decline:
I think you always imagine being part of some success and that motivates you makes you emotional.
14:59
What influence did Ivan Bravo have?
A question about Bielsa’s coaching at the Inspire Academy and if that came into play here:
We all know, anyone involved in football knows the prestige Bravo has in the game, but I didn’t get in contract with him about coming here. I don’t want create any problem in the future for him but the president and Orta believed in me. And if it goes well it will be down to me and if it goes badly it will be down to them.
14:57
How important is the video analysis?
And what research have you done into the club and city?
Watching games with your analysing head on, the more matches you watch, it reduces the chance you might be wrong about an idea you had. It doesn’t mean you’re less likely to make a mistake, but it makes you think you haven’t made a mistake.
It’s invaluable in the game. It can tell you the No2 might play various positions across the back, right, left, middle or has filled in at centre half and midfield also.
The way the team is structure - for example, the length that a player runs, I could give you loads and loads more conclusions from watching this footage but it would be vain of me to do so.
What I can tell you is what happens when you do watch these 51 games - and I enjoyed it - certainly I see it as a professional obligation to look into thing which such detail. I have’t done it for the sake of it.
Whether I’m right or not, they have generated hundreds of certainties, I’ve got a lot of conclusions from it.
14:53
What needs to change from last year?
I don’t really like to evaluate or give opinions on games or seasons I didn;t take part in. Not fair to make comments on fellow managers, players, teams you’re not involved in.
14:52
What about the Elland Road atmosphere?
I know everything I could possibly know as a foreigner and what it means to supporters of this country.
I was given a list of instructions here of how I should speak and I think I’ve lost it.
It mentioned that Leeds United had the biggest attendances in the league last season, although VIlla had bigger crowds but I think it tipped over the figure because they were in the play-offs. I know because people have told me at the club, but I know for myself Leeds take huge amounts of support away and I know the team means an awful lot for the city.
In Bilbao, a place that has left a huge mark on my life, not the biggest mark on my life, because the team who leaves the biggest mark is your first club, Newell’s Old Boys in my case, but the phrase you head most walking around Bilbao is ‘I’m a season ticket holder’. It’s like a statement of what you are. A way of identifying yourself. There are lots of people of British descent living in the Bilbao area.
I’m really excited that’s it’s going to be the same here.
The fans support their home town in the same way. Working in football gives you a chance to see just how a city and group of fans can identify with each other. The fans become part of the club - that’s what I’ve been told here.
14:47
How important is Leeds' start to the season?
Next up is a question on Leeds’ start:
There are no easy games in football. We are naturally optimistic most of the time. For me, having my first game at home and to have the kind of belief and excitement in what’s going to be a sell-out crowd and make it like a ‘Premier League’ game, which makes me really excited.
14:45
MB on Lille
A question on Lille and his time in France:
Marseille was an unforgettable memory for me. Experiencing the Stade Velodrome on matchday was one of the most enjoyable experiences football can give you. ON a football front Lille was the saddest moments of my career. Not because of the place, the city is lovely and very welcoming and certainly not because of the footballers who I had huge amounts of time for. Fans would always get behind the side. And also the staff, you can’t split them out of the institution, they fit part of the texture of the club. But apart from all that, my self esteem as a manager more than any time during my career really suffered.
And not in the main because of the results on the field which if you were to look and take them seperately would be enough to damage my self esteem because I was removed from my position with the team in 19th place but I only played 20% of the games for the period which I was under contract.
14:41
And now a question in Spanish from a Bilbao journalist - which fortunately for your humble blogger who only has a French GCSE is being translated.
I’m not aware of any manager who expresses himself in such perfect and detailed language. Is this a major worry for you or a small worry?
And here’s Bielsa’s answer
The person who will be more interested in this reply is myself or the man who asked it. But I’m sorry, I can’t be brief.
I’m very conscious of the spoken or written word in getting your point across.
Basically, an artist of the written word, a Basque journalist called Balligara [no way I’ve spelt that right - sorry folks], I recommend you have a read.
Getting players to play and appealing to their emotions, getting your message across to players in management is all about that.
I think the biggest factor which gets players playing is emotion and if you speak sincerely, words and how you express yourself goes hand in hand with activating those football emotions.
So if you do struggle in a particular language, it’s unmistakable that you have a difficulty.
But there are other ways to show how you feel apart from the written word. Although I was working in Bilbao which shares a language but has a different culture to Spain, France is a different language and culture but I think I managed to get my point across in both those countries and found the essence which motivates players.
I think the tradition present in English football is a value which is guaranteed. Here, values and tradition in football are very consistent with each other. I think I’m confident enough to believe that messages will be conveyed and reach the players.
14:35
Was the delay in signing a contract due to budget issues or something else?
I’m very meticulous and careful on these processes. And having spoken with Victor Orta and the president I’ve found people who are very keen on taking a different direction in a sporting sense. I was very conscious that they weren’t going to promise something they couldn’t fulfil so I just wanted to describe everything carefully from the start so I wouldn’t surprise them down the line.
I’ve already tired the translate out.
14:33
What sort of budget do you have?
I’ve spoke long with the director of football and club president about what we need and what our aims are and we all agreed the three of us that these needs and objectives were to be highly exaggerated and we could find solutions.
But in terms of putting these decisions into practice, this is beyond my job spec and I’m extremely confident that these issues will be sorted out in a very positive way.
14:31
What do you make of Pep and Poch's praise for your methods?
And will these methods benefit the England team?
I don’t want to be accused of false modesty.
So false modesty is when you say something to make the listener draw something else from the conversation. I don’t like false modesty.
Guardiola is the best coach in the world and his ideas have been created by he himself.
In any of his teams, any traits, all I’ve ever seen are his own ideas.
As for Pochettino, he’s built his own career and he’s built up his own style which really is quite unique to him when you see his teams play.
I think these two guys might be references. I think the fact they are references to other people is more than that fact I’ve been references to them.
I’ve studied their style in depth. I’m not just been humble or modest.
14:28
Have you told any players they aren't needed?
I’ve seen all 51 games played last season, plus the friendlies in Asia. I’ve got opinions and made my mind up about all the players.
But I’ve not had that day to day contact with them that the club has already enjoyed.
In the same way I might get recommendations about new players, I’ve also been informed about the club’s position on how you evaluate the existing playing staff.
If the club have certain players they do not want to keep, they wouldn’t be players I’m trying to keep.
In terms of any player who might be leaving the club, I wouldn’t want to confuse the issue by giving an negative evaluation and description of the player, even though it might seem like that, so I’l go back to what I was saying before, the players I want to keep are the ones I want to give lots of playing time to.
The club have 15 players more than they need. And we still need 4 or 5 different positions on the field where we need to strengthen. I think moving forward in a football sense, the squad shouldn’t be too numerous, too many players who aren’t getting game time.
So there might be some departures so the amount of players isn’t too excessive.
Anybody leaving it will be more due to the fact I like a trimmed down, lean squad and the numbers in the squad so everyone is getting regular game time.
I can’t ignore the fact there are 46 games in this competition and the potential that 18-20 weeks where you play two games per week if we’ve made progress in the cup completions.
But we have one or two youngsters who could be available in this situation so that we can add those to the squad as a whole but we might need to add one or two more players.
These long replies, we go around the houses in our answers in order not to name any names.
14:21
Which players have you told are not good enough?
That is the ideal skillset. No player anywhere fits that bill.
What I will say is we’re trying to keep players who will get plenty of playing time. They will feature. They will get plenty of game time.
The question that you just asked me I’m convinced will be the prologue to another more complicated question.
14:20
What sort of players do you need to be successful?
I think a team is made up about of all the qualities that you see from a myriad of players.
Maybe I cold just give you a short summary of what an ‘ideal player’ is like:
Mental strength
Sufficient ability on the ball
Being bright enough to interpret different styles of play
Strong physically and brave
A competitive spirit
14:18
What will be your measure of success this season?
There are many ways to ask questions, but we find it impossible to answer. We cannot answer. I’ve kind of already answered that question in a similar way.
I think setting parameters and objectives in advance, I don’t think it’s the ideal message of support for the people who are the end users of the message, which are of course, our fans.
The club with the history of this club, they know how to measure success and failure at the end of the season.
I think that if you try to predict the future you’re becoming a demagogue rather than a football coach, so it’s not great to make statements of intent at this stage.
I much prefer to try and demonstrate and give examples rather than predict.
14:16