Marcelo, congratulations on a magnificent performance. Would you say that's the best performance of your time here? It was really a very complete game. And never have the fans supported us as much as tonight. I think the fans understood that it was a very important game so they gave us all their support. There were so many excellent performances tonight, but how important was Adam Forshaw? He is a player that when he has to defend is the first one to defend. When we need to keep the ball and not lose it he is also the first one to do this. And he is also a player with a strong character and peronaloty and he gives this example to his team-mates and to the fans. Did you sense there was a nervousness before among the fans, having lost three straight? Do you feel you answered a lot of questions tonight? I think that the fans and the team understood very well the importance of this game and they united to support the team and the team behaved in a way that deserved the support of the fans. The game was played with an interesting build up about you sending someone to watch training at Derby. What more would you like to add about that and is it something you will continue to do? It’s a ten minute explanation. If you want it I can give you a ten minute explaination. It would be interesting to hear the explanation. I am the only one responsible for this situation. What happened is true. When I say I am the only one responsible I don't involved the club in it because I didn’t ask the club for permission and I didn't have permission to act. That’s why I’m the only one responsible. When I saw that Frank Lampard, the head coach of Derby County, the fans, and the authorities of the club were indignated [sic] by this, I called Frank Lampard to tell him it was true and I was the only one responsible for the situation. And I found out calling him that he thought that I didn’t respect the rules of fair play. If we take into account this fact, Frank Lampard is right, Derby County the club is right, the fans are right. The conclusion that has been drawn on this subject is that I had a sport advantage with that and that my behaviour was not the right one. I can explain my behaviour, but I don’t justify it because I have to respect the norms that are applied in the country where I work. I’m going to explain my behaviour but my intention is not to be understood or not to justify my behaviour. I have done this practice for many years. I started doing that when I was playing the World Cup qualifiers with Chile and Argentina. It’s something legal in South America and in England too. But in South America when this becomes public it does not provoke the same indignation that it provokes here in England. In South America, like in England, when we find out that someone is watching the training session, we ask them to leave but I don’t think you should condemn the sentence because you watch a training session because if you watch a training session from a public space it’s not illegal and you don't get condemned by the police for doing this. The only difference is that in South America is it doesn’t generate the indignation that we have here in this country. I don’t feel that I am someone who is cheeky for doing it for one main reason. First of all I didn’t get any advantage from this situation. I didn't have any added advantage by watching this training session. Then you ask me why would I do that. Because it’s just an additional source of information. And I’m used to doing that. But I understand that Frank Lampard is angry. Because he thinks that I am someone who is cheating. And I understand that he draws this conclusion. But I don’t feel that I cheated because my goal was not to get an illegal advantage. I don’t have the aspiration to be understood but I have the duty to understand the reaction about this in this country. I would like to give you an example that reflects my position on this subject. When I was in Athletic Bilbao we had 280 training sessions and all of the training sessions were public. In this case, because all of the training sessions were public, the opponent could come and watch the training session. For me the information that you get from a training session is not that significant. That’s why I never asked and I never talked about this subject when I was at Athletic Bilboa. Actually, as head coaches we have more information than what we can analyse. To sum up the subject, I am the only one responsible for this situation. I have to respect the point of view on the English on this sort of subject. I don’t think I’m an immoral person because I've done that. My goal was not to get a sport advantage by doing this. There are two questions to which I can’t give a satisfactory answer. You could say that if it’s not very significant, why do you collect this kind of information? The answer is, it’s an additional tool and regarding the person who went to watch the training session, this person was in a public space, he was not arrested. When he was told to leave the place, he left. He obeyed to the owners of the scene. We could also say this behaviour is weak, because we could criticise something on it, is that when he was asked if he was working for Leeds United he gave a negative answer. His intention was to hide that something that for me is natural, to watch a training session. So this is a weak point. That’s my point of view on this subject. Marcelo, do you believe that Frank Lampard has accepted you explanation? No. He told me I violated the fair play rules and I said anything you do regarding this, I would understand it. I would accept it as legitimate. I didn’t call him to apologise. I called him to tell him I was responsible for the situation and the facts actually happened. And he was direct in his answer and I respect that. He said you violated the fair play rules. It was not convenient for me to explain my point of view. This would have been understood as a way to change the perception he had of this. I think I was clear enough and I don’t want anyone to think that I am trying to justify anything. I’m just explaining why I don’t think I’m a person that cheats and why I accept any reaction that this behaviour creates. I don’t have any possibility to change points of view. Things are as English football say. And I have to respect the habits and the traditions of this country. Would you accept any punishment from the FA? And would you defend yourself? I understand they are searching it. But do you not think I’ve not given you enough information about this? You've given a lot of information, but if they charge you, would you defend yourself? I just said all what I wanted to say on this subject. I don’t have to defend myself because I’m not right. The habits and the moral scale, I don’t define the habits and the moral scale. I respect the moral scale that the country where I work settles. Personally for me this subject is over. I can’t assume more than what I have assumed. I said I was the only one responsible. Will you stop this practice now that you know it is not acceptable in this country? I expressed myself enough on this subject. I don’t think I need to add anything more about it. I don’t want to answer this question. My behaviour has to be linked to what I just said. [The media are then asked by a club official if they have any questions about the game] I can speak on the subject all the time you need. I don't have any problems about it. Have the club indicated that they will take any action? I am the only one responsible for it. I assume responsibility. I would accept any sanction that the club takes against me, I would accept any sanction the federation takes against me and I would accept any judgement of Derby County and Frank Lampard on the subject. Has Andrea spoken to you about it? With all what I just said there is no necessity to say something more. I’ve said everything I wanted to say. What did you think of Jack Clarke's performance tonight? He did a very important performance in the game. He had a big influence on the final result. How pleased are you with the win after those three defeats in a row? All this episode affects me. Of course the win is very important. The only thing I’m going to apologise is to have contaminated a football game with this subject. And for this gentleman to understand my position, you would understand that if I was a child I would say I woulnd’t do it again, I wouldn’t feel well responding this and I would lose credibility. I won’t say that I won’t do it again. It’s a childish position to answer like that. How late did you find out that Pablo would be able to play? Yesterday. Just before the game. Has he responded well to the match? From a football point of view, of course. I would see how he is after the game.
Just wondering, as Villa Boas admitted doing it for Jose at Chelsea at a time when Lampard played for them. As he finds it so bad, that it is cheating, will he be returning any medals he got during that time, to show how strongly he feels about it. As he obviously accepts diving, surrounding refs, pressuring them into giving decisions part and parcel of the game.
Just hope the press and so called pundits drop it now, I don’t want to see Bielsa feeling he is a cheat or wrongly accused and walking away. Be funny as **** if Bielsa wore a pair of binoculars round his neck for the next game.
Hopefully something kicks off at the Spuds v Scum game today, give them something else to get their knickers in a twist over
The golden boy of football: In 2000, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Kieron Dyer appeared on a sex video that was filmed at the holiday resort of Ayia Napa in Cyprus. Channel 4 aired a brief clip as part of their 2004 documentary Sex, Footballers and Videotape, claiming it was used to "remind the viewer that this is based on real life."[ On 23 September 2001, Lampard, along with three other Chelsea players was fined two weeks wages by the club for his behaviour whilst on a drinking binge on 12 September. Lampard and the others had abused American tourists at a Heathrow hotel, just 24 hours after the 11 September attacks. A hotel manager stated "they were utterly disgusting. They just didn't seem to care about what had happened". He has two daughters with his former fiancée, Spanish model Elen Rivas, Luna (born 22 August 2005) and Isla (born 20 May 2007). On 24 April 2009, Lampard was involved in a radio confrontation with James O'Brien on the London radio station LBC 97.3. Newspapers had reported that following Lampard's split from Rivas their children were living with her in a small flat while Lampard had converted their family home into a bachelor pad. Lampard phoned in, objecting to criticism and asserting that he had fought "tooth and nail" to keep his family together.
One of three fellow South Africans to distinguish themselves at Leeds - Albert, Lucas and Phil. Hamba gashli, go well, Philemon Masinga!
