Bielsa Press Conference: Pre-Boro

[MB optimistic on Kalvin and Kiko]


12.31pm: Here we go

Marcelo takes his seat.


On Kiko's hand injury

He has a problem but maybe he plays. That depends on how the pain develops but if he can support the pain he will play.


How did it happen?

In this situation I don't have the answer for this, I didn't ask for this and didn't think to ask this.


Are the fingers broken?

No they are inflamed.


On Phillips

It's a kick. Depending on if the pain disappears as well, the same situation with Kiko. But with both players I am optimistic.


On doubts in the crowd - have they gone

There are two kinds of doubts - about the result and the style of play. Usually managers pay more attention about how the teams play and the supporters they care more about result. When you have good results it strengthens confidence all around the team.


On the style of play

I analyse this conclusion, even more because what I believe is when you play well it is the short path to win. But in this situation we need to promote, here win means promote so it's kind of different. The final evaluation of this Leeds team is going to be linked if we promote or not.


On scripted movements or individual brilliance [great question]

To think that the players are machines is to underestimate them and maybe not convenient to think like that. When you lead a group of players it is linked mainly with the human aspect and nobody treats players as machines. From my point of view it can't develop leadership in the long term. If you interpret players as machines, there are mechanical activities even if you don't agree on this. But I cannot give an opinion on activities that I don't know. What I believe is that in football the leadership is one of the most important things that is a human activity. To summarise one idea, a lot of times someone could describe as a team as a machine describing the team like robots saying they are well oiled and work very well. Of course I am grateful for what those managers said but the important thing is that the player is happy inside to be able to show his skills. Football is a creative activity and not regular because human beings are not regular in our behaviours but in general we are described as machines because it is easier to describe.


How much distance is Klich running in games?

He is running close to around 12km, and 1km of those 12km are from high intensity sprints.


On Boro

There are teams that always play with the same shape and you have other teams that change their shape. As you said and you are right they manage 6 or 8 different shapes and manage them very well. But we also are working from 12 months together and in those 12 months we have faced all the different possible shapes and in many ways we are ready to adapt to difficulties of different shapes.


On Kalvin for England

It is something that Leeds and the club deserve and have to be proud of this. If that happens it is not easy to get and for that reason you really have to be proud. This information is official? (No not yet!). I work as national team manager in Argentina and Chile and I didn't like that other managers said in the press which players should be in the team so I don't want to make that same mistake!


Has anything changed in the last two games (getting wins)

I didn't see big change. I think that if we talk about luck it is not fair enough as well as we have not had other things but I cannot find solid arguments to answer your question. What I can tell you is that football is a discipline where you maybe have the same performance but you get different results, that makes football unpredictable and emotional because there is nothing that says clearly what is going to happen because you have the same performance but a different result.


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https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/sport/football/leeds-united/middlesbrough-v-leeds-united-press-conference-recap-marcelo-bielsa-provides-injury-updates-kiko-casilla-and-kalvin-phillips-1890072