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Leeds United boss Marcelo Bielsa calls emergency press conference

  /  autty

Leeds United manager Marcelo Bielsa will speak at 5pm following the club's decision to call an emergency press conference on Wednesday.

Bielsa has come under intense scrutiny in recent days after The EFL launched a formal investigation into 'spygate'.

The Leeds boss instructed a member of staff to spy on a Derby training session before the Yorkshire side ran out 2-0 winners in the contest.

Bielsa typically speaks to the media on Thursday as a pre-match press conference for the weekend and so news he has called an emergency media briefing on Wednesday is out of the ordinary.

The Leeds boss admitted before Friday night's 2-0 win over Derby that he was responsible for sending the staff member to watch the promotion rivals training on Thursday.

Derbyshire Police were forced to intervene and move the individual on, while Leeds have since apologised to Derby and said they will remind Bielsa of his responsibilities.

It remains unclear as to the nature of what Bielsa is going to give a statement on as fans were left worried by the emergency announcement of a press conference for fears he may resign from his position.

Speaking before the win, Bielsa said: 'It's true there was someone from Leeds United. The responsible of this incident is me. It doesn't matter if this is illegal or legal but it is right or wrong.

'For me it's enough that Frank Lampard and Derby County felt it was not the right thing to do and that I didn't behave well.

'I talked to Lampard and he told me that I didn't respect the fair play rules. I have a different point of view on it but the important thing is what Lampard and Derby  think.

'I am the only one responsible for it because I didn't ask the club Leeds permission to do that.

'Without trying to find a justification, I have been using this kind of practice since the qualifications for the World Cup with Argentina.

'This is not illegal, we have been doing it publicly, we talk about it in the press, for some people it is the wrong thing to do but for other people it is not the wrong thing to do.'

Leeds' statement on the matter read: 'Following comments made by Marcelo Bielsa yesterday the club will look to work with our head coach and his staff to remind them of the integrity and honesty which are the foundations that Leeds United is built on.

'Our owner Andrea Radrizzani has met with Derby County's owner Mel Morris to formally apologise for Marcelo's actions.'

After the game, with the issue still the main headline, the Leeds boss added:  'It's not that I don't understand the situation, if for the English football this is unacceptable behaviour I have to accept it because I work here.

'And for me it is hard to accept the fact I had the unacceptable behaviour, knowing that it was like that in this country.

'I have to accept the fact that in this country it is something that is not common but it doesn't make me a person who cheats.'

Derby boss Frank Lampard insisted the incident went 'over the line' and said it was wrong for Bielsa to make such a move on a rival.

In defeat at Elland Road, the Derby boss said: 'Cheating is a big word. If you talk about details and gaining advantages, great and good managers do that. But this one is over the line. It's not just a toe over the line, it's a hop, skip and a jump over the line.

'All managers are proud of what they do on the training ground. I've spent 15 hours watching Leeds this week and that's the game.

'So when somebody comes in on the sly to see you do team shape, team press and people who aren't playing, it's over the line.

'I was a fan of his from afar and have his book at home. You watch his career and he's very different in a good way, but it's not the way I do things.

'I'd rather not coach than send people undercover on their hands and knees with pliers and bolt cutters to go and look at the opposition because I respect the opposition.'

While fans speculated about the press conference, Leeds defender Pontus Jansson dismissed talk on social media that Bielsa could resign from his role as he tweeted a local reporter saying: 'Haha already 1 of April on [sic] your office?'