Rich T The Biscuit 562 Posted January 20, 2019 I say this with a bit of my tongue in cheek but I wonder whether Leeds losing yesterday was contributed by the fact that they didn’t get to watch the Stoke training session on Friday 🤔 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
TIL 1010 4,745 Posted January 20, 2019 There were more people on the payroll at Leeds involved in this than just Bielsa. The man does not speak English for starters and would he be involved in researching locations of training grounds, the use of vehicles, camera equipment etc and not forgetting the finance involved in carrying out these expeditions. Several fingers in the pie involving Leeds employees without doubt. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted January 20, 2019 1 hour ago, Rich T The Biscuit said: I say this with a bit of my tongue in cheek but I wonder whether Leeds losing yesterday was contributed by the fact that they didn’t get to watch the Stoke training session on Friday 🤔 Someone asked him that post-match . His reply, as you'd expect, was "nothing to do with it at all". His now infamous press briefing was intended in part to rebut the suggestion that the "spying" gained any sort of unfair advantage; everything they relied upon in approaching a match was the result of watching their opponents's previous matches. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
East Rider 549 Posted January 20, 2019 1 hour ago, westcoastcanary said: Someone asked him that post-match . His reply, as you'd expect, was "nothing to do with it at all". His now infamous press briefing was intended in part to rebut the suggestion that the "spying" gained any sort of unfair advantage; everything they relied upon in approaching a match was the result of watching their opponents's previous matches. I would think watching the opposition's final training session before each game ensured a greater advantage for them than being present at their opposition's last game legitimately, the week before. We will never know the exact extent but lets be honest here, if we 'only' knew the tactic on set pieces (offensive and defensive) the other team were implementing for each of our games, the impact would be huge. I agree with Til 1010 on this. It stinks of a full management level of knowledge this was happening at Leeds and they deserve all the condemnation they are receiving. Lets hope their bad run continues without the extra advantage they once had. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lake district canary 4,531 Posted January 20, 2019 Unethical and laughable at the same time. It may be acceptable in other countries where he's done it, but Bielsa has learned you can't do it here and now it has been highlighted, it has made his club look even more tin pot than they were already. Anything that now goes wrong at Leeds can be jokingly attributed to his lack of being able to spy on clubs and reduce the level of his club to a laughing stock. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Alex Moss 2,165 Posted January 20, 2019 It is simple - if this method was not giving Bielsa and his team a decent advantage in preparation for match day and paying dividends, then Bielsa would have ditched it years ago. 2 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Rich T The Biscuit 562 Posted January 20, 2019 I heard a rumour from tup north that they have since approached the Heathrow drone man to see if he can be the next spy 😂 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
glory.win or die. 270 Posted January 20, 2019 I'm still not sure what I think about this.. Unethical yes but I'm not sure it makes a huge difference to results but even if it has I'm not sure they can be punished. I have seen this mentioned somewhere before but my bigger concern is what other things have they done we don't know about? Surely If spying on teams own training grounds was seen as ok, then spying on teams at elland road(bugging the dressing room) is possible. But who cares...we are destined to win league as the best and purest football team. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sjb 11 Posted January 20, 2019 29 minutes ago, glory.win or die. said: I'm still not sure what I think about this.. Unethical yes but I'm not sure it makes a huge difference to results but even if it has I'm not sure they can be punished. I have seen this mentioned somewhere before but my bigger concern is what other things have they done we don't know about? Surely If spying on teams own training grounds was seen as ok, then spying on teams at elland road(bugging the dressing room) is possible. But who cares...we are destined to win league as the best and purest football team. The reason we're doing well is our pink walls! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
splendidrush 700 Posted January 20, 2019 I knew that this would run and run, it seems 11 Championship Clubs have sought further details from the Authorities regarding Leeds' behavior, it may be the case that not all Clubs have a public footpath running alongside their training ground and that in order to get close they have trespassed on private property, which is against the law. I'm not sure how this is going to pan out, it may take months to resolve. One thing is for sure, they've been called 'Dirty Leeds ' since the seventies, this won't go away in a hurry. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted January 20, 2019 It's run and run because it's a huge boost to the press in terms of the amount of column inches and air time minutes that can be generated. It's also a great opportunity for the uniquely British penchant for manufactured outrage and holier than thou "moralising" by perennial whingers and losers. Clearly the mistake was to allow football to become a professional sport in the first place; it's totally gone down the pan since the old amateur days when there was respect for the spirit of the game, a belief in fair play and acceptance that the important thing was not the result but taking part.......................... (and so on and so on and so on). And by the way, trespass on land is not in itself a criminal offence; it is a civil offence for which damages may be sought in the event of material damage having been caused. If, for example, you tried to take someone to court for trespass who was distributing leaflets house to house, you wouldn't get very far. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Badger 2,405 Posted January 20, 2019 Personally, I am far more upset when I see teams go out to deliberately "kick creative players off the park" as we have seen with Buendia and Leitner recently. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted January 20, 2019 3 hours ago, glory.win or die. said: I have seen this mentioned somewhere before but my bigger concern is what other things have they done we don't know about? Surely If spying on teams own training grounds was seen as ok, then spying on teams at elland road(bugging the dressing room) is possible.But who cares...we are destined to win league as the best and purest football team. Sometimes I think it would be good if dressing rooms and training grounds were bugged, see for example: https://www.stokesentinel.co.uk/sport/football/football-news/stoke-pulis-ramsey-wenger-shawcross-2276359 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
splendidrush 700 Posted January 20, 2019 37 minutes ago, westcoastcanary said: Clearly the mistake was to allow football to become a professional sport in the first place; it's totally gone down the pan since the old amateur days when there was respect for the spirit of the game, a belief in fair play and acceptance that the important thing was not the result but taking part.......................... (and so on and so on and so on). . Jeez westcoast, how old are you? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
westcoastcanary 173 Posted January 20, 2019 1 minute ago, splendidrush said: Jeez westcoast, how old are you? Old enough to recognise sarcasm when I see it 😉 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites