Leeds United are currently top of the English Championship table following an impressive start to the campaign that has seen them win 11 of their opening 18 games.
The Elland Road outfit have lost just thrice, drawing the other four, and fans are hoping Marcelo Bielsa can finally lead them to Premier League promotion after narrowly missing out last term.
The Argentine head coach is highly revered across Yorkshire, and it’s not a surprise that a lot of Leeds fans have come after Sky Sports and talkSPORT presenter Jim White after he aimed a thinly-veiled dig at the 64-year-old.
“Emery’s English isn’t the best but he has the courtesy to speak in English.”
“You should try to learn the language.”
“Credit to Emery as he is trying… Bielsa should try more.”
Jim White & @MorrisonClinton say #Arsenal's Emery deserves more praise for speaking in English. pic.twitter.com/vh9A5fHMv4
— talkSPORT (@talkSPORT) November 27, 2019
White claims Bielsa should emulate Arsenal manager Unai Emery by speaking English in his press conferences, and Leeds fans have reacted thus on Twitter:
Another sly dig at Leeds .. ALAW .. hated since 1919 .. 100 years and marching on together #leeds
— g (@tomgillespieca) November 27, 2019
Bielsa does speak English. He lives round the corner from me and we see him in the supermarket. He speaks English. No idea why he doesn't in interviews!?
— Dave West (@foresthoop) November 27, 2019
You lot not knowing anything about him is just how he'l like it! Us leeds fans love him and wouldnt change a thing!
— Jonny 💛💙 (@Jonnygamble10) November 27, 2019
Xenophobic nonsense, he can speak English and you’d know that if you bothered to find out. If he feels more comfortable speaking his own language with an interpreter, so be it
— wayne armitage 💙💛 (@armo1972) November 27, 2019
Bielsa speaks English way more than he lets on. Choosing to not speak English keeps everything at arms length, he doesn’t want to let anybody in. Especially media outlets.
— AllLeedsAren’tWe (@LeedsFan16) November 27, 2019
Why bring bielsa into it? @talkSPORT are obsessed with leeds! So is @JimWhite
— Dave Halls (@Basher2010) November 27, 2019
The Marcelo Bielsa show
Living in your heads lads rent free and #lufc love it!
Keep up the hype chaps 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻
— Mark Ramm (@LufcRammy) November 27, 2019
Bore off @JimWhite. Instead of finding another thing to knock Leeds about. How about criticism of your old mate at Derby and how he HASN'T dealt with his DRUNK DRIVERS….
— Steve Wheeler (@steve21wheeler) November 27, 2019
I don't care about whether he speaks good English or not. He has been one of the best things to happen to Leeds United. You can carry on with your agenda against him all you want
— Gaz (@gazLUFC4) November 27, 2019
Clueless again, Bielsa has gone on record many times why he has an interpreter for interviews/pressers. He doesn’t YET feel comfortable and that his message may get muddied somewhat.
— kieran (@jotunthrash666) November 27, 2019
While Spanish-speaking Bielsa uses some of his assistants as translators during pressers, the Argentine understands some English but as yet, he has not felt comfortable enough to hold a press conference without a translator.
Moreover, he doesn’t want his words to be taken out of context, and it remains to be seen if some of them don’t get lost in translation.
Leeds fans don’t care which language their head coach speaks as long as the team keeps delivering the results.
Nevertheless, Bielsa has admitted he desires to speak English in his press conferences, and maybe promotion to the top-flight would force him to fast-track his language lessons.
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