Bielsa says his future at the club does not depend on promotion
Friday 3 May 2019 15:24, UK
Head coach Marcelo Bielsa says he personally paid the £200,000 Leeds were fined over the 'Spygate' scandal because it was his responsibility.
The 63-year-old has also denied that he is planning to leave the Sky Bet Championship club if they are not promoted this season.
Bielsa and Leeds were embroiled in controversy earlier this year when an employee of the club, acting under instruction from Bielsa, was caught outside Derby's training ground ahead of a match between the sides.
Leeds were subsequently handed a £200,000 fine by the EFL and given a formal reprimand, and may now be fined again, for failing to control their players during a controversial 1-1 draw with Aston Villa last weekend.
On Friday, Bielsa intimated that he will pay any fine incurred and added: "As we are clarifying things, I think it's important to add two things not linked to this subject.
"The sanction I received that the federation gave us - £200,000.
"It's a financial sanction the club received - not against me. But I am responsible for it and that's why I paid from my pocket."
Bielsa also wanted to clarify things regarding his own future, dismissing the suggestion that he will leave if Leeds fail to achieve promotion to the Premier League, which will now have to come via the play-offs.
"I never said this and I never said the opposite," Bielsa added. "I have never said that, if we don't get promoted, I won't carry on my work here.
"I haven't said I would leave or stay. I just said it was not the moment to discuss it.
"I just said it's receiving the proposal and accepting or not. I would never say if we don't go up I will leave, because otherwise you would say the importance of this club is linked to the division it plays in.
"For me, this team and club are important in any of the top three divisions.
"I don't want people to think I'm not thankful, because after the year here, I only limit my evaluation of Leeds to the fact they play in one division or the other."
