Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa on Wednesday said he has spied on training sessions of all the club’s opponents this season.
Leeds are four points clear at the top of the Championship, English soccer’s second tier, after beating Derby County 2-0 on Friday last week.
However, the match was overshadowed by Bielsa’s admission that he sent a club employee to spy on Derby’s training session a day before the game.
In a statement on Saturday, Leeds owner Andrea Radrizzani apologized for the incident, which is the subject of a Football Association (FA) investigation.
Bielsa on Wednesday called an impromptu news conference, sparking rumors he could resign.
However, the former Argentina manager instead offered more information on how he scouts the opposition in what he said is a bid to help the FA’s investigation.
“I observed all the rivals we played against. We watched all the training sessions before we played them,” Bielsa said. “My goal is to make this easier for the investigation. By doing this I assume the possible sanctions by the authorities.”
Derby manager Frank Lampard questioned Bielsa’s sportsmanship and rejected the excuse of cultural differences, with Tottenham Hotspur manager Mauricio Pochettino saying the practice is normal in Argentina.
However, Bielsa was adamant what he has done is not illegal.
“As Frank Lampard said, he doesn’t believe that I didn’t have bad intentions. He believes I violated the fair play spirit. I have to adapt to the rules linked to the habits of English football,” Bielsa said.
Lampard ahead of Derby’s FA Cup tie at Southampton on Wednesday refused to get drawn into the row again.
“I made quite a few comments earlier in the week about it,” he told the BBC. “I haven’t seen the latest press conference, but have been told about it in general terms. It is one to comment on, or not, when I know more about it.”
Former England striker Alan Shearer was more critical, saying: “I don’t think it is anything new, but it is definitely wrong.”
“When you go away into European games and you train at the stadium the night before, you are almost certain that there is someone from the opposition watching, but you can’t go into someone’s private training ground when you are not invited,” he added.
Bielsa then talked journalists through his preparation for matches with four hours dedicated to analyzing every game the opposition has played this season.
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