Johnny Giles hits out at Marsch for Leeds boss’ Bielsa comments

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Leeds United legend Johnny Giles has told Off The Ball that he found it outrageous that Jesse Marsch claimed that the Whites squad had been overtrained under Marcelo Bielsa in an interview this week.

Marsch raised plenty of eyebrows while talking to talkSPORT. In amongst a 15-minute interview, he happened to mention that the number of injuries, in his view, were done to how hard the players were being worked in training.

Marsch has lauded Bielsa at every opportunity since coming in at Elland Road. He has been aware that he has succeeded a club icon. And in truth, he has done a brilliant job of winning the supporters over with the way that he has conducted himself.

However, there was plenty of debate surrounding what he said this week. Some had little problem with what was said. Others felt that it was an unnecessary comment from Marsch.

And clearly, Giles was amongst those who were really disappointed by the current boss. The 81-year-old felt that it was incredibly harsh to take a shot at Bielsa’s training methods given how much success the Argentinian enjoyed in England.

“I think it’s outrageous and unfair. And what he’s saying is about the training methods leading to the injuries which got them into trouble. Now, the thing is with Bielsa, Bielsa’s been there three or four years, he’s been doing for the last three or four years what he did this season,” he told Off The Ball.

“Now, during that three or four years, he took Leeds from nowhere, up from the second division, got promotion and in the first year [in the Premier League], he finished ninth doing what he did.”

Marsch hardly wrong with criticism of Bielsa methods, but you can understand why Leeds fans may have issue

Giles is absolutely spot on to suggest that Bielsa’s methods got Leeds to a level few could have imagined. But it is hard to argue with those who felt that his persistence with those methods had started to hurt the team this season.

In fairness, many who are not best pleased with Marsch seem to have taken greater issue with the perceived disrespect shown to Bielsa. And it has changed how a few look at the American.

It just seemed unnecessary to say publicly. And it will be something that may be used against Marsch – rightly or wrongly – if results turn again.

Outrageous is an incredibly strong word to use. And it does seem unfair. But Marsch did take a gamble with his comments.