Leeds United boardroom presents, hotel wrestling,…

Leeds United boardroom presents, hotel wrestling, smashed doors in Academy Dreams episode two

The Bielsa effect

While Leeds United’s current set-up has moved into its next phase, 12 months ago Marcelo Bielsa was still in full control of every element at Thorp Arch. The second episode of Academy Dreams: Leeds United delves into his philosophy, coaching style and, fundamentally, his youth policy with a crop of under-23s trying to catch his eye.

Lewis Bate delivers an especially frank assessment of the departed head coach, while Joe Gelhardt lays bare the intensity of training under the Argentine. Crysencio Summerville and Kalvin Phillips also flesh out life behind the scenes with one of the club’s iconic bosses.

Hjelde’s arrival

The second part of the Amazon documentary zeros in on Leo Hjelde’s late-August arrival from Celtic last year. There are clips of an 18th birthday present in the Elland Road boardroom before dinner alongside head of academy Adam Underwood, where Bielsa’s fitness impact is again discussed.

The Norwegian drops in on Amari Miller, a fellow new recruit living in the same complex, before the latter details his own early struggles to settle into the tactical demands of Leeds.

Keeping up with the Cresswells

If episode one belongs to Gelhardt, this second chapter is built on the back of last year’s under-23 captain Charlie Cresswell. There is bonding time with his ex-footballer father and numerous talking heads on his own status as the leader in the camp, including a tidy dressing room anecdote from Gelhardt.

Cresswell’s own long-term ambitions with the Whites are of course discussed given the interest in his development for the first team. The inside line on that top-flight debut against West Ham United is a lovely sign-off too.

Burgeoning bromance

Anyone with an eye on Sean McGurk’s social media will be familiar with his Bate houseshare which existed until the latter left for Oxford United on loan. Well, that relationship is examined in this episode, including a debate on kitchen sanitation.

Yes, the video screams are included, along with some top-rope wrestling moves on an away day in the team hotel. These are the kinds of clips fans never get to see from players so well-managed in the public sphere.

Miller sees red

Keen followers of the under-23s will remember the Whites’ 4-4 draw with Blackburn Rovers in September last year. Leeds went into a 4-2 lead before conceding two in the final half an hour of the match.

They will also remember Miller was sent off late in the game after a brawl on the pitch between both sets of players. The cameras go with the winger down the tunnel and into the dressing room after the dismissal. Emotions were running high, as you would expect.

You can watch all six episodes of Academy Dreams: Leeds United on Amazon Prime Video from Friday.