WE WANT JUSTICE Marcelo Bielsa: Leeds United should be deducted points for Spygate scandal, Bristol City owner tells talkSPORT Steve Lansdown urges the EFL to dock points from the Championship leaders, saying: ‘It’s the only punishment clubs understand’ Bristol City owner Steve Lansdown has implored the EFL to dock points from Championship leaders Leeds United over the ‘spygate’ scandal surrounding manager Marcelo Bielsa. Lansdown confirmed to talkSPORT the Robins are one of the 11 clubs who have complained to league bosses, following the revelations that Biesla has spied on every opponent Leeds have faced this season. The scandal came to light after one of the Argentine coach’s staff were caught in the act by Derby last week. The reaction has been mixed, with some condemning Bielsa’s actions as ‘morally outrageous’, while others believe it has been blown out of proportion. Some have even hailed Bielsa as a genius, after revealing his meticulous research and analysis of every other team in the Championship at a mind-blowing press conference. But Lansdown has accused the Leeds manager of ‘damaging the reputation of football’ and insists his actions ‘can’t be condoned’. The English Football League and Football Association are still investigating Bielsa. And the Bristol City chief has urged football bosses to deal out a point’s deduction, telling talkSPORT host Jim White: “It’s is the only thing clubs understand. It’s the real punishment because it affects performance and it affects everything to do with the club. “What Mr Bielsa has done is damage the reputation of football, in my opinion, and we can’t condone that. We need to take what necessary action as appropriate to the crime he’s committed. “It’s not unlawful, but it depends on the circumstances of each spying incident. If they’ve gone onto private property without permission, then that’s trespassing. “This sort of practise is unacceptable. “I have no problem if somebody phones up and asks if they can watch a training session. If the club gives permission for that, as Nathan Jones said he would do with Stoke the other day, and it’s above board then that’s fine. “But if you don’t, you do it underhand. You skulk around the bushes with binoculars and a notepad. That’s not good practise and we certainly can’t condone that.” EFL chief executive Shaun Harvey joined talkSPORT later on Friday for an exclusive interview, in which he opened up on the spygate scandal. And, asked for his message to the league boss, Lansdown added: “I think the English Football League need to take notice that this is an unacceptable practise. “The EFL need to change this, they need to make it very clear. “That it’s done in other countries is not an excuse, it’s not done here and it’s not accepted practise in England to go skulking around training grounds spying on the opposition.” https://talksport.com/football/efl/...-united-deducted-points-spygate-bristol-city/
I posted this on OTIB: I guess it depends HOW it was done. For example, if a representative of Leeds turns up, introduces himself as a Leeds employee and gains access that way then absolutely fair enough - no rules have been broken and no action should be taken. However, if a paid employee of Leeds gained access by deliberately pretending to be someone else - say a journalist - then that’s industrial espionage which is illegal and should be punished. Anyway, I’m assuming the latter was NOT the case, or the FA punishment machine would have already swung into action - so why it’s even getting airtime is beyond me!!!
It's been going on for years and as far as I'm aware they haven't broken any current rules. I don't think it's right what they did and the way it was done but unlike SL I can't see how you can deduct points until the rules are changed..
Whilst distasteful, I’m not sure what can be done , SL may want a points deduction but can’t see it happening personally. Something should be put in place maybe to stop it happening in the future, but that’s as far as it’s likely to go , because as least as far I’m aware, there is nothing written down saying it isn’t allowed.
WILL PROBABLY JINX ROTHERHAM NOW BUT BEATING Leeds!! very interesting scenario if they lose again! did the spying actually give them an edge!
