Marcelo Bielsa Announces Starting XI In Press Conference After Reporter Asks: "Will You Keep West Ham Guessing?"

In one of his finest moments to date, Leeds manager Marcelo Bielsa has unexpectedly named his starting XI for the club's Premier League clash against West Ham, two days before kick-off.

The Argentine joined club interpreter Andres Clavijo in a Zoom press conference ahead of Friday's fixture when a reporter asked the 63-year-old who would be playing alongside Liam Cooper at the back.

"Hi Marcelo, have you made your mind up who will be playing in central defence alongside Cooper?" the reporter asks.

Bielsa quickly responded: "Like I said, it could be Ayling or it could be Phillips..."

"So will you keep West Ham guessing?" the reporter replied. What happened next is classic Bielsa.

A surprised Andres Clavijo relays to the media that striker Rodrigo Moreno will replace Diego Llorente, who is suffering from a muscular problem, in the starting XI.

"[Diego] Llorente won't be available as he has a muscular problem and it will take him a while to recover." Bielsa explained in the press conference.

"He has a muscular problem. We won't be able to count on him immediately."

Clavijo went on to name the starting XI for Leeds' clash against West Ham. "The 11 will be Meslier, Dallas, Ayling, Cooper, Alioski, Phillips, Klich, Moreno, Raphinha, Harrison, Bamford,"

This is just one of many classic Bielsa moments that will be spoken about for years to come.

The fact that Marcelo Bielsa has a tendency to take his clothes on as part of his routine when his teams lose, according to two players that played under him, says everything you need to know about the eccentric Argentine.

The former Athletic Bilbao manager is known for being wildly eccentric and memorably gave an incredible tactical lecture to journalists in his press conference following the spygate scandal with Derby County last season.

But his antics include habits much more bizarre than that.

Bielsa sitting on his bucket at Anfield. Image: PA Images

According to Mark Gonzalez and Jose Pedro Fuenzalida, who both played under him when he was Chile manager, Bielsa decided to get naked and lie on top of the treatment table for half an hour following a loss to Ecuador.

Speaking on Abrazo de Gol, Gonzalez recalled: "Bielsa entered the dressing room." He was really hot, walking up and down, not speaking with anybody.

"There was another dressing room next to us and he was there. We walked in and he was completely naked, laying on top of a treatment table like someone was going to perform surgery on him.

"He was there for about 30 minutes, totally naked."

Topics: Leeds, Football News, Marcelo Bielsa, Football], Premier League, West Ham

Jack Kenmare

Jack Kenmare is a writer at SPORTbible. He's interviewed some of the biggest names in sport, including Zlatan Ibrahimovic, Pele, Carles Puyol and Tim Henman. He dabbles in all things sport but football is his biggest passion. He was once hit in the head by a wayward strike from Nicky Butt and lived to tell the tale.

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