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Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images
Photo by RUI VIEIRA/POOL/AFP via Getty Images

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Leeds fans delighted as Jack Harrison makes behind-the-scenes claim about Marcelo Bielsa

Will Butcher
Will Butcher

There have been murmurs among Leeds supporters on social media that manager Marcelo Bielsa can speak English a lot better than he lets on, with a translator accompanying him in press conference – and Jack Harrison might have just spilt the beans.

Bielsa is renowned for speaking in Spanish when it comes to his press conferences – before or after a match. Other than that, the Argentine does not do media work, other than a brief cameo in the Amazon Prime: Take Us Home documentary.

To most, Bielsa has clearly not learnt the language well enough to speak it in press conferences. Some Leeds fans think that Bielsa is choosing not to speak English – in order to make sure everything he says cannot be mistaken.

Certainly, on occasion, Bielsa is even seen correcting the translator in press conferences – suggesting he knows exactly what is being said. Now, Harrison told the that Bielsa gave a speech in English in the last fortnight.

Leeds United v Newcastle United - Premier League
(Photo by Rui Vieira – Pool/Getty Images)

“He’s been taking English classes and tries to speak more and more English. A couple of weeks ago, he read one of the speeches in English for the first time. It was incredible just to hear it,” Harrison said, on his manager.

Bielsa continues to use a translator in his press conferences, expressing his frustration and sadness at a dismal and embarrassing 3-0 defeat to League Two side Crawley Town in the third round of the FA Cup on Sunday afternoon.

Leeds supporters, though, were delighted to hear about Bielsa’s improving English even if it was only behind the scenes – a bright moment after two poor results in the club’s last two matches under the former Argentina and Chile boss.

Indeed, many Leeds fans think that Bielsa learning English is a sign that he could extend his stay in Yorkshire – with his current contract expiring at the end of the current 2020-21 campaign.