The dismissal of Marcelo Bielsa and his coaching staff at Leeds United is one that many supporters still struggle to come to terms with. Although Jesse Marsch has been able to transform fortunes at Elland Road, his predecessor and his peers are sorely missed.
Bielsa’s fitness coach, Benoit Delaval, has claimed that it was too difficult for him to watch the first few Whites matches after his departure. Speaking to The Athletic, he identified the emotional attachment to the club as the reason for his inability to tune in.
“I couldn’t watch the first three games after we had been sacked,” said Delaval. “It’s difficult to explain how it felt. The first three games were against Leicester, Aston Villa and Norwich, and the only way I can describe it is that I was not ready to watch.
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“It was the first time I had ever been fired — I was still so emotionally involved. It was strange and frustrating to be out of the club.
“I knew the games were on, but it was too difficult for me to watch. So my family watched the games downstairs while I stayed upstairs and did some work on my PhD (doctorate).”
Like the man he was working so closely with, Delaval became intertwined with Leeds; the city and the football club. That explains why the sudden decision to remove him and his colleagues from their positions within the coaching staff cut so deep.
“It was emotional for me,” the Frenchman added. “I had lived my life with Leeds for three and a half years and then, in 24 hours, it was all over.
“When you move house, you have time to say goodbye to everyone. But football is so quick. The club released the news on Sunday morning. We went to say goodbye to the players on Monday, but it was all so sudden.”
